The Matryoshka Conundrum

    Given the known complexity of amino acids in protein, most scientists were convinced that genes were made of protein. However, this creates a logical conundrum. If a complex protein (tallest doll, left) is somehow built by another protein acting as a gene (next tallest doll, second from left), than that second protein also requires a third gene (third from left), and so on in an endless series.

    This conundrum hearkens back to one in the early days of biology. Initial microscopic examination of human sperm seemed to show the existence of pre-formed tiny humans inside. If so, then each sperm must contain even tinier humans, and so on, in the same endless series of identical Matryoshka dolls.