Simulating The Strange Way Life (Likely) Started

Derek Muller takes you on a whirlwind tour from why poop stinks to how the first self-replicating molecules might’ve formed, covering gene mutation, digital evolution experiments and the nuts-and-bolts of natural selection. You’ll learn what traits actually get passed down, why kin selection matters, and how Richard Dawkins’ “selfish gene” idea fits into modern simulations of life’s origins.

Along the way, Derek chats with luminaries like Jack Szostak, John Sutherland and Joanna Masel, shows off his magnetic Snatoms kit and plugs some favorite resources (Veritasium newsletter, Dawkins’ classic book, PrimerBlobs). It’s a fun, geeky deep dive into how life probably got its start—and how we can recreate that process in silicon and test tubes today.

Watch on YouTube