Editing Self-replication (section)

===Self replicating clay crystals===
One form of natural self-replication that is not based on DNA or RNA occurs in [[clay]] crystals.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bbc.com/earth/story/20160823-the-idea-that-life-began-as-clay-crystals-is-50-years-old |title=The idea that life began as clay crystals is 50 years old |publisher=bbc.com |date=2016-08-24 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160824164754/http://www.bbc.com/earth/story/20160823-the-idea-that-life-began-as-clay-crystals-is-50-years-old |access-date=2019-11-10|archive-date=24 August 2016 }}</ref> Clay consists of a large number of small crystals, and clay is an environment that promotes [[crystal growth]]. Crystals consist of a regular [[lattice (group)|lattice of atoms]] and are able to grow if e.g. placed in a [[water solution]] containing the crystal components; automatically arranging atoms at the crystal boundary into the crystalline form. Crystals may have irregularities where the regular atomic structure is broken, and when crystals grow, these irregularities may propagate, creating a form of self-replication of [[Crystallographic defect|crystal irregularities]]. Because these irregularities may affect the probability of a crystal breaking apart to form new crystals, crystals with such irregularities could even be considered to undergo evolutionary development.