1908-9. ] ON THE ORIGIN OF LIFE ON THE GLOBE. 423 
ON THESORIGIN OF LIFE:ON THE GLOBE: 
BY A. B. MacaLLum, M.A., Ph.D., Sc.D., LL.D., F.R:S. 
Professor of Biochemistry, University of Toronto. 
(Read Sth February, 1908) 
THERE are some subjects upon which the highest intellectual in- 
terest of mankind will always be directed. Amongst these are the 
nature and origin of matter, the illimitable extent of the universe, the 
nature of the processes underlying thought, the origin and development 
of man, the origin and significance of religion and, last but not least, 
the origin of life. In these subjects are concentrated some of the pro- 
foundest problems which have ever tasked the intellectual power of 
man, problems the solutions of which, if they are ever reached eventu- 
ally, must fundamentally affect human destiny, for that destiny, if it is 
to be one in which what we call progress is to participate, must ever be 
indissolubly associated with satisfaction of the cravings of the human 
intellect. : 
A few of the problems are cognate and, therefore, the solutions of 
some of these assist in the determination of the others. It is conceiv- 
able that the origin of matter and the extent of the universe are inti- 
mately related questions, and therefore, to advance towards certainty in 
one of them is to render less difficult the solution of the other. Further, 
the nature of the processes underlying thought is associated with the 
question of what life means on its physical side and the latter is in its 
turn intimately connected with the question of the origin of life. To 
conquer a solution in one case does more than facilitate a solution in 
another. It stimulates the human mind to greater effort. To the race 
of mountain climbers the conquest of one peak from which another 
of towering height may be seen, is not to daunt but to kindle an inscrut- 
able ambition to dare and do in order that the climber may possess, for 
perhaps one rare moment only, the vision and the outlook from the 
new point of view far above the snow line. 
The problem that appeared most difficult of all was the origin of 
life on the globe, nay the origin of life throughout the universe, if it be 
granted that the earth is not the only planet on which living forms have 
made their appearance or are making their appearance. The difficulty 
