Putting the RNA World Theory to the Test with "Pistol"

Proponents of the RNA World theory for the origin of life need to produce the goods: RNA molecules that can store information and perform useful reactions and reproduce themselves and form spontaneously in a plausible prebiotic environment. A new candidate has emerged.

Behold Pistol: a "self-cleaving ribozyme," announced in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. We know that the three authors from Yale -- Nguyen, Wang and Steitz -- think it is relevant to the origin of life, be...