Thanks for the response. I’ve read your article on RNA World - well written and very helpful, cheers!

From your response it seems to me that you favour the view that self starting evolution is a natural process, and therefore almost inevitable across the universe? I’m not sure of the actual probability of that vs panspermia distribution, but I wouldn’t necessarily argue with it. What I personally find extremely difficult to believe is that abiogenesis could have occurred solely on Earth. That takes a leap of faith almost as great as belief in a religious creation myth. So I think we are both coming from the angle that life is very very likely to be a widespread phenomenon across the universe? That for me is the exciting prospect behind this.

Of course, both RNA World and panspermia could be accurate, there is nothing mutually exclusive between the two, panspermia would just give the other process an early boost, and then contribute to a universal gene pool to accelerate things even further.

As you say, there are a range of possible explanations - and I’m also very much looking forward to see how evidence unfolds. I’m hopeful we’ll see at least a provisional answer within our life times.