Chapter 1 of Genome looks into the "word" that builds up the world. Ridley points out that many would mistaken DNA as this word when in reality, the word is RNA. He describes RNA as a kind of bridge between DNA and proteins worlds. Its presence is extremely necessary in the most primitive and basic functions of a cell, acting as catalyst or replication device. Another important topic brought up in the chapter was the discussion on LUCA, the Last Universal Common Ancestor. LUCA is first described as an organism that looked like a bacterium that lived in a warm pond, possibly near a hot spring. However, it is later revealed that LUCA was most likely a protozoan.
The reason I believe this chapter is titled "Life" is that it still amazes us how our lives are basically determined by genetic code. Our lives literally hang by a thread of four letters put into specific sequences that map out our appearance and ability to carry out vital processes.
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