Is a self-generating universe, starting from nothingness, a possibility? And is the spontaneous generation of life a reasonable expectation? These are the questions that, sooner or later, most of us will ask ourselves.

   One answer that science has given us is that the laws of science are invalid under conditions of nothingness. Neither are they valid for the supposed conditions prior to the Big Bang. But given the Big Bang occurred, then science can certainly be helpful for estimating the probabilities of the universe developing in specified ways. Likewise for a rebound universe.

   What is a rebound universe? If a universe is finite then sooner or later it should either expand forever or else collapse in a Big Crunch. The latter is different depending on whether we assume space is continuous or has some net-like structure. If continuous, the collapse could go to a dimensionless point. But if net-like then, presumably, it cannot collapse below the tiniest of its spatial dimensions and must then rebound.

   If we allow ourselves to believe in some kind of self-generating universe, can we also allow ourselves to believe in the spontaneous formation of life? What are the chances for an elementary life form putting itself together from some kind of organic soup. After all there must have been a multitude of situations on the primitive earth in which all the basic ingredients necessary for living cells to self-generate were present, otherwise life would not have occurred. At least that is the hypothesis we are assuming.

   All life, as we know it, consists of complex carbon-based organic molecules protected from the "outside" by some kind of membranous barrier. It would also need to be self-repairing and self-reproducing if it was to persist.

   Currently it is thought that our planet came into existence about 4.5 billion years ago, and that life appeared close to the 4 billion year mark. The evidence for this includes the ratio of oxygen isotopes that accompany fossil material thought to be derived from photosynthesis by ancient organisms. This ratio is peculiar to the photosynthetic process.

   Further evidence comes from the dating of ancient stromatolites in Western Australia, Canada, and elsewhere. These structures result from the activities of photosynthetic cyanobacteria. Additionally there is the dating of oxidised iron minerals that are deposited in the oceans as a result of the oxygen released into those oceans by ancient photosynthetic organisms. Those at Isua, Greenland are dated to 3.8 billion years ago.
   
   Photosynthesis is one of the most studied of biological processes. Yet after more than 50 years of intensive effort the complexity of this process continues to defeat us--despite the potential rewards being so enormous. For if we can simulate photosynthesis, we should have an unlimited source of cheap energy.