Singularities in the Origin

and Evolution of Life

 

 

Christian de Duve

Rockefeller University and Christian de Duve Institute, Brussels

 

 

 

 

The history of life is landmarked by a large number of remarkable singularities.  The single ancestry of all living beings, the universal genetic code, and the monophyletic origin of eukaryotes are typical examples, but there are many others.  The mechanisms responsible for these singularities will be discussed.