Word Pictures

The probability of generating a gene coding for a cytochrome c enzyme composed of 101 amino acid residuals is 2 chances in 10⁶⁵ tries.¹

                   This can be pictured as selecting one specific hydrogen nucleus out of                      114 million suns given two draws.²

          The probability of generating a gene coding for a specific enzyme composed of 150 amino acid residuals is approximately 1 chance in 10⁷⁷ tries.³

                   This can be pictured as drawing one specific proton or neutron out of a            thousandth of the visible universe given one draw.⁴

          The probability of generating a gene coding for a specific enzyme composed of 150 amino acid residuals plus three specific amino acid residuals is approximately 1 chance in 8x10⁸⁰ tries.⁵

                   This can be pictured as drawing one specific proton or neutron out of           eight visible universes given one draw.⁶

ENDNOTES

1. H. P. Yockey, “A calculation of the probability of spontaneous biogenesis by information theory.”  J.             Theor. Bio., 67 (1977), 387.

                        &

            J. Reidhaar-Olson and R. Sauer, “Functionally Acceptable Substitutions in Two α-Helical             Regions of λ Repressor.” Proteins: Structure, Function, and Genetics, 7 (1990), 315.

2. Mass of sun: 1.989x10³⁰ kilograms = 1.989x10³³ grams

      The mass of the sun is ~73% hydrogen

      Mass of hydrogen in the sun: ~0.73 x 1.989x10³³ grams = ~1.45x10³³ grams hydrogen

      ~1.45x10³³ grams hydrogen x 6.022x10²³ atoms/mole = ~8.73x10⁵⁶ atoms or nucleoli of hydrogen in the sun

     10⁶⁵/~8.73x10⁵⁶  hydrogen atoms per sun = ~1.14 10⁸ suns = ~114 million suns

3. D. Axe, “Estimating the Prevalence of Protein Sequences Adopting Functional Enzyme Folds,” Journal of Molecular Biology 2004 Aug 27; 341 (5): 1295-1315.

4.  10⁷⁷ tries x 10^-80 baryons/visible universe = 1/1,000 of the visible universe

5.  10⁷⁷ tries x  8x10³ tries = 8x10⁸⁰ tries

6. 8x10⁸⁰ tries x 10^-80 baryons/visible universe = 8 visible universes

                                                                                                            Fredric P. Nelson, MD   ©  2025