How Did Life Begin? Three Mysteries Science Still Can't Fully Explain

One of the biggest questions humanity has ever asked is surprisingly simple:

How did life begin?

Scientists have made extraordinary discoveries about the universe, the human body, and the natural world. Yet when it comes to explaining how the very first living organism appeared, the picture remains far less clear.

What Does Science Say?

Even scientific sources acknowledge that the question remains unresolved.

For example, the Hebrew Wikipedia entry on "Origin of Life" states:"A complete and satisfactory explanation has not yet been found for the formation of that first living organism."

Similarly, the English Wikipedia entry on "Abiogenesis" explains that while some stages related to the origin of life are better understood, other crucial stages remain "largely unknown."

In other words, despite decades of research, scientists still do not have a complete explanation for how nonliving matter became the first living organism.

Evolution and the Origin of Life Are Not the Same Question

Many people assume that the theory of evolution explains how life began.

In reality, evolution and the origin of life address two different questions.

Evolution attempts to explain how living organisms changed and diversified after life already existed.

But how did the first living cell appear in the first place?

That question belongs to a separate field of study known as abiogenesis.

What Is Abiogenesis?

Abiogenesis is the scientific effort to explain how life could emerge from nonliving matter through natural processes.

According to the prevailing scientific approach, conditions on the early Earth may have allowed simple chemical compounds to gradually develop into increasingly complex structures over long periods of time.

The challenge is that researchers still do not know exactly how the transition from chemistry to life occurred.

While scientists have proposed various models and hypotheses, there is currently no universally accepted explanation for how the first living organism came into existence.

The Missing Link in the Process

Scientific diagrams describing the origin of life often begin with simple chemicals and end with living cells.

The difficulty lies in the middle.

How did collections of chemicals suddenly become alive?

How did matter acquire the characteristics associated with living organisms, such as self replication, metabolism, and biological information?

According to the article's argument, these remain major unanswered questions.

The Torah's Perspective

The Torah approaches the question from a very different direction.

According to the article, the root "bara" (create) appears in Bereishit at key moments that represent events beyond the ordinary laws of nature.

1. The Creation of Matter

The first appearance of "bara" refers to the creation of the heavens and the earth.

According to the Torah's description, the existence of matter itself began through Divine creation.

The article notes that modern science likewise does not currently possess a complete explanation for the ultimate origin of matter and existence itself.

2. The Creation of Life

The second appearance occurs on the fifth day of Creation:

"And Hashem created the great sea creatures and every living creature that moves."

(Bereishit 1:21)

The article argues that the Torah specifically attributes the emergence of life to a direct act of Divine creation rather than to natural processes alone.

From this perspective, the inability of science to fully explain the origin of life is not surprising. Life itself originated through Divine intervention.

3. The Creation of Humanity

The third appearance occurs with the creation of mankind:

"And Hashem created the human being."

(Bereishit 1:27)

According to the Torah, human beings occupy a unique place within Creation.

The article argues that the emergence of humanity cannot be fully explained through natural mechanisms alone and therefore receives a separate description of Divine creation.

A Remarkable Parallel?

The article's central claim is that the Torah identifies three major events through the word "bara":

• The creation of matter
• The creation of life
• The creation of humanity

It further argues that these are precisely the areas where modern science continues to wrestle with profound unanswered questions.

The Bottom Line

According to the article, science has achieved tremendous success in describing many aspects of the natural world. Yet the ultimate origins of matter, life, and humanity remain subjects of ongoing investigation and debate.

The Torah presents a different framework, attributing these pivotal moments to direct Divine creation.

Whether one approaches these questions through science, faith, or a combination of both, the mystery of how life began remains one of the most fascinating topics humanity continues to explore.

Adapted from the book "Intersecting Worlds." The author holds a B.Sc. in Physics with honors from the Technion.