On the 17th of October, Café Scientifique was lucky enough to host Dr. Nick Lane, a world-famous biochemist and evolutionary thinker, for a fascinating talk about the origins of life and the evolution of complex organisms. After his presentation, we had the chance to sit down with him for an interview, and it was an experience we won’t forget anytime soon!
Picture of Nick Lane presenting his slideshow in Kulttuuritalo Laikku, Tampere
Dr. Lane told us that his fascination with evolution started when he was a student. He was especially inspired by reading The Selfish Gene by Richard Dawkins, which sparked his curiosity about how life works at a molecular level. Instead of following a straightforward path, Dr. Lane’s career took some interesting turns. After earning his Ph.D. in medical biochemistry, he didn’t stop at just doing research, he started writing books to explain big scientific ideas to people who don’t study science. This mix of curiosity and creativity really stood out to us.
One of the fascinating parts of Dr. Lane’s journey was how he started exploring the story of oxygen, something we often take for granted. While researching one of his books, he asked a simple question: "Where did all the oxygen come from?" That question took him deep into geology and evolutionary biology, areas he hadn’t studied much before. He shared some fascinating discoveries with us, like how ancient rocks and fossils help scientists figure out how much oxygen was in the atmosphere billions of years ago.
He also shared the fascinating story of a natural nuclear reactor in Gabon, Africa, that existed around two billion years ago.
This phenomenon occurred because increasing oxygen levels in the atmosphere caused uranium to dissolve in water, eventually concentrating in one location and triggering a nuclear chain reaction. It was incredible to learn how oxygen, something we often overlook, played such a crucial role in shaping Earth's history.
Nick Lane as a Speaker in the Summit 2024 of Nutritional Medicine Institute
One of the most inspiring parts of the talk was when Dr. Lane talked about how important it is to communicate science clearly, especially in today’s world. He mentioned how the COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the challenges scientists face when trying to share what they know without sounding like they have all the answers. The pandemic reminded him how frustrating it can be for the public to deal with constantly changing advice. He encouraged us to think about science as an ongoing process—one that’s messy and full of discovery, not just a list of facts.
Dr. Lane’s story taught us that the best discoveries often happen when you follow your curiosity, even if it takes you outside your comfort zone. He encouraged us to be brave enough to explore new areas and chase the questions that excite us the most. It’s advice that feels especially meaningful as many of us are figuring out what we want to do after high school.
Dr. Lane’s visit was a real highlight for the audience. His talk made us think about science in a new way—not just as something we study in class, but as a way of understanding life itself. We’re so grateful to have had the chance to meet him, and we’ll definitely be keeping an eye on his future discoveries.
By: Vrithimaya Vijayakumar
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