Paper from 1967 explaining origins of life was initially rejected 15 times
A paper by biologist Lynn Margulis explaining the origins of life was rejected 15 times before publication. The paper introduced the endosymbiotic theory, which posits that complex cells are formed from ancient mergers of independent organisms. This theory is now widely accepted and fundamental to understanding cellular biology.
- ▪Lynn Margulis submitted her paper in 1966, facing 15 rejections from various journals over several years.
- ▪The paper proposed that complex cells are formed from ancient mergers of independent organisms, a concept now known as endosymbiotic theory.
- ▪Mitochondria and chloroplasts in cells are descendants of bacteria that formed cooperative relationships with larger cells.
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Science The paper that explained why every living thing on Earth exists was rejected by 15 journals before anyone took it seriously — and the idea it contained is stranger than most science fiction In 1966, a young biologist named Lynn Margulis submitted a paper to a scientific journal. By Space Daily Editorial Team · Editorial process Published May 26, 2026 In 1966, a young biologist named Lynn Margulis submitted a paper to a scientific journal. It was rejected. She submitted it to another. Rejected again. She worked through a list of journals — the most prestigious, the most relevant, the most likely — and over the course of several years, she collected fifteen rejections. The reasons given varied. The idea was too speculative. The evidence was insufficient.
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