re: NASA finds habitable planet – Kepler-186f – but don’t pack just yet

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What is the currently accepted science on how life started from non-life?

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First we have to answer the question: What is life? Philosophically, I'm a reductionist so I prefer the premise that life is a chemical chain reaction.

Very simply stated: Atoms react to form molecules which form amino acids; amino acids form proteins which go on to build cells and then multicellular organisms. At what stage can we say life exists in this chain reaction?

Most debate centers on viruses. More and more biologists are agreeing that viruses are the most primitive life forms. The majority still hold that single cell organisms are the beginning stage of life, however.

I agree with those who say that viruses are alive. Although viruses do not possess a cell membrane or metabolize on their own, they can make use of cells to perform those functions. They have to parasitize the cells but I don't think that puts them into the category of the nonliving.