An example of anthropomorphism used to explain science,
"Omran experimented with the formose reactions, but found in reality only 1% of products were sugars – the rest being products of the competing Cannizzaro process in which formaldehyde and other products disproportionate into organic acids and alcohols. 'There is no divorcing these reactions,' explains Omran. He did end up with significant amounts of biologically relevant organic hydroxy acids that are still found at the core of modern metabolism, including lactic, glycolic, oxalic and acetic acids. 'In this formose system, sugars are broken down, which life likes to do for energy and other things,' says Omran. It's very far from the complex metabolic systems seen in biology today but may have set the stage. 'If this is truly a proto-metabolic system that is related to life, I'm looking at the first five minutes,' he says."
Dr Arthur Omran, lecturer in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry,
University of North Florida was being quoted in,
Brazil, Rachel (2023) The messy chemistry that led to life, Chemistry World, 20 (5), https://www.chemistryworld.com/features/the-messy-chemistry-that-led-to-life/4017279.article
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