Evolution Before the Common Ancestor

Dear Ipetrich,I saw a recent RNA world based paper suggesting, as you say, that it involves an acellular origin of life. It posits a form of protocell which is actually a sulphite precipitate which provides a catalytic surface.
Martin W, Russell MJ.
On the origins of cells: a hypothesis for the evolutionary transitions from abiotic geochemistry to chemoautotrophic prokaryotes, and from prokaryotes to nucleated cells.
Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci. 2003 Jan 29;358(1429):59-83[This message has been edited by Wounded King, 04-27-2003]