scholarly journals Synthesis by sunlight in relationship to the origin of life. Synthesis of formaldehyde from carbon dioxide and water by inorganic colloids acting as transformers of light energy

1913 ◽  
Vol 87 (593) ◽  
pp. 163-176 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Carbon Dioxide ◽  
Organic Matter ◽  
Solar Energy ◽  
Origin Of Life ◽  
De Novo ◽  
Living Organism ◽  
British Association ◽  
Total Absence ◽  
Inorganic Matter ◽  
The Origin Of Life

At a discussion on the origin of life held by the joint sections of Zoology and Physiology of the British Association, at the Dundee Meeting, September, 1912, it was suggested by Moore that the first step towards the origin of life must have been the synthesis of organic matter from inorganic by the agency of inorganic colloids acting as transformers or catalysts for radiant solar energy. This suggestion was amplified and explained in a book written in November, 1912, by the same author. It is important to emphasise the point that in considering the origin of life in a world containing inorganic matter only, the nutrition of the first living structure on such a world must be carefully borne in mind. This observation is still true whether life is to be regarded as arising de novo on the planet, or as being borne there from some other planet as a germ from pre-existent life. No living organism such as a bacterium or mould which did not possess the power of transforming energy and of synthesising organic from inorganic matter could exist or flourish in total absence of pre-formed organic matter and must inevitably perish.

scholarly journals Meteor Storms as a Window on the Delivery of Extraterrestrial Organic Matter to the Early Earth

2004 ◽  
Vol 213 ◽  
pp. 281-288
Author(s):  
P. Jenniskens
Keyword(s):  
Organic Matter ◽  
Origin Of Life ◽  
Prebiotic Chemistry ◽  
Early Earth ◽  
Rarefied Flow ◽  
Physical Conditions ◽  
Prebiotic Molecules ◽  
The Origin Of Life ◽  
Recent Insight

The unique rarefied flow and flash heating in meteors creates physical conditions that can change exogenous organic matter into unique prebiotic molecules. with the exception of rare giant comet impacts, most infalling matter at the time of the origin of life was deposited in the atmosphere during the meteor phase. Much new data has been obtained from observations in the Leonid Multi-Instrument Aircraft Campaign; a series of NASA and USAF sponsored Astrobiology missions that explored the 1998–2002 Leonid meteor storms. Here, we provide an overview of some of this recent insight, which provides a framework in which the prebiotic chemistry can be studied.

scholarly journals Towards open-ended evolution in self-replicating molecular systems

2017 ◽  
Vol 13 ◽  
pp. 1189-1203 ◽  
Author(s):  
Herman Duim ◽  
Sijbren Otto
Keyword(s):  
Origin Of Life ◽  
De Novo ◽  
Building Blocks ◽  
Full Understanding ◽  
Molecular Systems ◽  
Form Of Life ◽  
Recent Advances ◽  
Molecular Building Blocks ◽  
Minimal Form ◽  
The Origin Of Life

In this review we discuss systems of self-replicating molecules in the context of the origin of life and the synthesis of de novo life. One of the important aspects of life is the ability to reproduce and evolve continuously. In this review we consider some of the prerequisites for obtaining unbounded evolution of self-replicating molecules and describe some recent advances in this field. While evolution experiments involving self-replicating molecules have shown promising results, true open-ended evolution has not been realized so far. A full understanding of the requirements for open-ended evolution would provide a better understanding of how life could have emerged from molecular building blocks and what is needed to create a minimal form of life in the laboratory.

scholarly journals Insoluble Organic Matter in Chondrites: Archetypal Melanin-Like PAH-Based Multifunctionality at the Origin of Life?

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marco d'Ischia ◽  
Paola Manini ◽  
Zita Martins ◽  
Laurent Remusat ◽  
Conel M. O'D. Alexander ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Organic Matter ◽  
Origin Of Life ◽  
Insoluble Organic Matter ◽  
The Origin Of Life

scholarly journals Nano-FTIR spectroscopic identification of prebiotic carbonyl compounds in Dominion Range 08006 carbonaceous chondrite

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Mehmet Yesiltas ◽  
Timothy D. Glotch ◽  
Bogdan Sava
Keyword(s):  
Organic Matter ◽  
Solar System ◽  
Origin Of Life ◽  
Carboxylic Acids ◽  
Spatial Resolution ◽  
Carbonyl Compounds ◽  
Carbonaceous Chondrite ◽  
Parent Body ◽  
Early Solar System ◽  
The Origin Of Life

AbstractMeteorites contain organic matter that may have contributed to the origin of life on Earth. Carbonyl compounds such as aldehydes and carboxylic acids, which occur in meteorites, may be precursors of biologically necessary organic materials in the solar system. Therefore, such organic matter is of astrobiological importance and their detection and characterization can contribute to the understanding of the early solar system as well as the origin of life. Most organic matter is typically sub-micrometer in size, and organic nanoglobules are even smaller (50–300 nm). Novel analytical techniques with nanoscale spatial resolution are required to detect and characterize organic matter within extraterrestrial materials. Most techniques require powdered samples, consume the material, and lose petrographic context of organics. Here, we report the detection of nanoglobular aldehyde and carboxylic acids in a highly primitive carbonaceous chondrite (DOM 08006) with ~ 20 nm spatial resolution using nano-FTIR spectroscopy. Such organic matter is found within the matrix of DOM 08006 and is typically 50–300 nm in size. We also show petrographic context and nanoscale morphologic/topographic features of the organic matter. Our results indicate that prebiotic carbonyl nanoglobules can form in a less aqueous and relatively elevated temperature-environment (220–230 °C) in a carbonaceous parent body.

Carbon dioxide, ammonia and the origin of life

Nature ◽  
1981 ◽  
Vol 291 (5812) ◽  
pp. 213-215 ◽  
Author(s):  
T. M. L. Wigley ◽  
P. Brimblecombe
Keyword(s):  
Carbon Dioxide ◽  
Origin Of Life ◽  
The Origin Of Life
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