Information Enigma: Where Did the Information in DNA Come From?

I find myself more and more intrigued by this question, that I've now seen presented in many ways by many brilliant scientists, computer specialists, and others. As a biology major with a life-long interest in "most things science," aka the best of human reasoning, I have been steeped in what I can only but hesitatingly call scientific dogma. I have studied evolution since my college days, and even before, when I had a class in evolution in Catholic high school, taught by a new but most thoughtful lay person. Mr. Raefel is at least the phonetic spelling of his name. Everyone in the class had to research some topic in the area, circa 1964, and give a serious presentation to the class. I can't even recall my own project, but do remember a spectacular one on sponges--invertebrates with some amazing abilities, such the ability to reassemble after being forced through a screen.

I've been a virtual student of the late Stephen Jay Gould, personally corresponded with him, and read damn near everything he wrote, articles in Natural History every month for years, and a number of captivating books. All superbly written and eye opening to many. Richard Dawkins, as in The God Delusion, and Gould had a big blow-out about something I don't recall, but I do remember Dawkins saying he only wished Gould could think as well as he wrote. I respected them both and many others, such as the late Lynn Margulis.

So as near as I can tell, this is a new wave of scientific thinking raising a major question about the very heart of evolution, which even Darwin saw as an inexplainable. I think it bugged him as much as the peacock tail, which had no conceivable evolutionary advantage, though it has long since been recognized as useful for attracting mates.