Will it be possible to solve these problems? It is certain that nobody has thus far observed the transformation of dead into living matter, and for this reason we cannot form a definite plan for the solution of this problem of transformation. But we see that plants and animals during their growth continually transform dead into living matter, and that the chemical processes in living matter do not differ in principle from those in dead matter. There is, therefore, no reason to predict that abiogenesis is impossible, and I believe that it can only help science if the younger investigators realize that experimental abiogenesis is the goal of biology.Jacques Loeb
About This Quote
Louis Pasteur was one of the most important figures in the history of biology and medicine. He was a pioneer in germ theory and played a key role in developing vaccines for rabies and anthrax. He stated: "I do not know whether we shall arrive at the secret of life by Darwin's theory, but I am convinced that we shall never solve the problem of life until we solve the problem of death." (Pasteur, 1877) Pasteur believed that as long as the process of death was unknown it would be impossible to fully understand living matter.
Some Similar Quotes
- The problem, often not discovered until late in life, is that when you look for things in life like love, meaning, motivation, it implies they are sitting behind a tree or under a rock. The most successful people in life recognize, that in life they...
- And sometimes I believe your relentless analysis of June leaves something out, which is your feeling for her beyond knowledge, or in spite of knowledge. I often see how you sob over what you destroy, how you want to stop and just worship; and you...
- The saddest aspect of life right now is that science gathers knowledge faster than society gathers wisdom.
- I'm sure the universe is full of intelligent life. It's just been too intelligent to come here.
- A man who dares to waste one hour of time has not discovered the value of life.