It's definitely an open question. But in his book "The Vital Question", Nick Lane makes an interesting case that they're actually the origin of all life: https:

It's definitely an open question. But in his book "The Vital Question", Nick Lane makes an interesting case that they're actually the origin of all life: https://nick-lane.net/books/the-vital-question-why-is-life-the-way-it-is/ https://nick-lane.net/books/the-vital-question-why-is-life-t...