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Templated materials

Paul C. Anagnostopoulos

Nap, interrupted.
Paul C. Anagnostopoulos
Joined
Aug 3, 2001
Messages
19,141
I'm looking for a natural example, outside biology, of a material that is formed by a chemical template, then breaks off from that template to exist independently. I think there might be such processes in the domain of liquid crystals.

You can guess why I want this: Creationists claim that the protein synthesis process is the only such process.

~~ Paul
 
If protein synthesis was the only example of such a process, why would that strengthen the Creationists viewpoint?

Thanks.
 
Paul C. Anagnostopoulos said:
They want protein synthesis to be special, not evolvable.
Click to expand...

I'm not quite sure what you're asking for -- but I agree with Wolf that it sounds very much like the general process of catalysis.

For example, ethene will combine with hydrogen in the presence of nickel to form ethane. Ethene molecules are adsorbed on the surface of the nickel. The double bond between the carbon atoms breaks and the electrons are used to bond it to the nickel surface. Hydrogen molecules are similarly adsorbed (and they break into component atoms). When a hydrogen atom wanders close enough to an ethene molecule, the hydrogen will bond, breaking one of the electron adsorption bonds. Repeat the process....

Something similar happens in the catalytic converter of your car to convert carbon monoxide and nitrogen monoxide to carbon dioxide and elemental nitrogen.
 
Paul C. Anagnostopoulos said:
They want protein synthesis to be special, not evolvable.

~~ Paul
Click to expand...
Even if it were special, how would that make it not evolvable?

Hans
 
Thanks, drkitten!

Hans, it would be special in that it could not evolve. It's a specified complexity thing. Intelligent design, don't you kow, what.

~~ Paul
 
But they would only have a case if it had no intermediary steps.

I am no expert, but isnt protein synthesis similar to the process by which DNA replicates, as cubish mentioned?

And DNA replication is the basis for biological evolution. So isnt that what the creationists should questioning?

I dont know much about where DNA first came from, so if anyone could give a synopsis of that I would be greatly appreciative.
 
Would spontaneous generation of optical activity, well known in the literature, fit your requirement? Briefly, a chemical compound of known handedness or chirality (i.e. spatial arrangement of the carbon atoms) crystallizes from solution and then acts as a template to influence the chirality of all of the other crystals precipitating from the melt. The 1st reports of this are classic (I could not find the web-based ACS citation) but a good leading reference is:

Pincock, Richard E.; Wilson, Keith R. Spontaneous generation of optical activity. Journal of Chemical Education (1973), 50(7), 455-7.
 
Paul C. Anagnostopoulos said:
Thanks, drkitten!

Hans, it would be special in that it could not evolve. It's a specified complexity thing. Intelligent design, don't you kow, what.

~~ Paul
Click to expand...
That is a circular argument, if I ever saw one ;). Anyway, evolution is an excellent expalnation for special things, because they don't just happen, they ... evolve.

I have always found that the best reproach to intelligent design is to ask who created the creator.

Hans
 
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