What's always puzzled me is if life started as soon as it possibly could, then why doesn't it happen all the time. I guess the conditions now are different, but still, if it's so easy to start then why isn't it still happening? Very interesting topic though. One of my favourite podcasts you've done yet Lex, please don't stop.,(reply>), If it happens all the time it would be organic and therefore food and therefore obviously be consumed by other larger and more evolved life very quickly so we wouldn’t ever find it.,(reply>), The universe is full of life. Unfortunately time and distance makes islands of us all.,(reply>), Its relative billions of years for earth to become, millions of years evolution  hundreds of thousands of human existence, once we've messed up may be other lifeform ready to sit at table. Good debate we are getting closer to the answer, will we be responsible to appreciate ?,(reply>), @Vishal Verma you're right and it's because they're "guessing"...,(reply>), Micelles aren't living &amp; the first one was assembled spontaneously.  Random collision of perfect combination of charged and inert elements = a cell membrane.  Add features by engulfing other stuff = life.