The answer for how life began to evolve on Earth has been philosophized for thousands of years. However, a robust scientific explanation has remained illusory. Here, author Max Cabaj describes a recent study in which researchers have identified from meteorites a diverse set of pyrimidines and purines, two critical structural components of nucleic acids.
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The history of science is full of examples of discovery, both intentional and accidental. But how do scientists study subject matter incapable of being explained by simple models? And additionally, if science can produce favorable results (say, in the clinic), to what extent does it matter whether or not the results can be fully explained? Here, Siddhant Iyer outlines the ways in which scientists may study as-of-yet unexplained phenomena and argues for a framework involving the use of complex models while also acknowledging limitations.