# Question on Evolutionary process

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-on-evolutionary-process/99139>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [March 20, 2002, 2:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-on-evolutionary-process/99139 "2002-03-20T02:20:28Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![username\_for\_rent](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ea5d25/32.png) [@username\_for\_rent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/username_for_rent)\
**Post date:** [March 20, 2002, 2:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-on-evolutionary-process/99139/1 "2002-03-20T02:20:28Z")

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What is the standard theory on how DNA was first formed?

In high school I learned it was more or less some organic sludge exposed to sunlight and lightning. Under those conditions, amino acids were formed then eventually DNA. I have heard other evidence from resources long forgotten that there is an alternative theory regarding proteins. Is there more specifics on this subject that that I’m missing? Any info or references would be appreciated.

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**Author:** ![AZCowboy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/97f17d/32.png) [@AZCowboy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AZCowboy)\
**Post date:** [March 20, 2002, 2:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-on-evolutionary-process/99139/2 "2002-03-20T02:58:49Z")

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I don’t know about a “standard” theory, but you can find a summary of hypotheses [here](http://arnica.csustan.edu/biol1010/origins/origins.htm).

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**Author:** ![Darwins\_Finch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darwins_finch/32/20304_2.png) [@Darwins\_Finch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darwins_Finch)\
**Post date:** [March 20, 2002, 5:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-on-evolutionary-process/99139/3 "2002-03-20T05:56:18Z")

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And please keep in mind that how DNA may have initially formed is completely separate from evolutionary theory. Evolution deals with how organisms change, not the origins of life itself.

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**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\
**Post date:** [March 20, 2002, 5:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-on-evolutionary-process/99139/4 "2002-03-20T05:59:02Z")

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The chicken-and-egg puzzle is that you need enzymes to replicate DNA, and you need DNA to produce complex proteins like enzymes. Last I heard, the most popular resolution to this is the idea that some forms of RNA, a nucleic acid similar to DNA, can act as enzymes for their own replication. So, RNA would come first, and then DNA and proteins.