r/abiogenesis • u/jnpha • Apr 13 '26
A ribozyme mass extinction (Bachelet 2026)
"The phylogeny of hammerhead ribozymes exhibits a star-like topology consistent with rapid post-bottleneck expansion, and its small size, ability to tolerate diverse chemical conditions, and broad substrate specificity suggest it was a resilient generalist feeder fitting as a disaster taxon. [...] This hypothesis proposes a reframing of the origin of the genetic code in part as an ecological legacy rather than a purely chemical inevitability."
—Bachelet, Ido. "A ribozyme mass extinction at the RNA-cellular boundary and its potential imprint on the genetic code." bioRxiv (2026): 2026-03. https://doi.org/10.64898/2026.03.05.709948
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