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Chemical Evolution: Tracing the Path from the Prebiotic Earth to the Emergence of Life
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Middleton, Elizabeth
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Spring 2025
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2025
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This paper explores the chemical evolution from prebiotic Earth to the emergence of life, tracing the formation of organic molecules and the transition to self-replicating systems. Through a comprehensive review of experimental, geological, and astrobiological evidence, this research paper examines the environmental conditions of early Earth. Which includes its reducing atmosphere, abundant water, and energy sources like lightning and hydrothermal vents. Key processes such as the abiotic synthesis of amino acids, nucleotides, and lipids are analyzed. Emphasizing the catalytic roles of clay minerals and extraterrestrial inputs from meteorites. Also, highlights the formation of protocells and RNA oligomers as critical steps toward life. Experiments such as Miller-Urey and vent simulations support this. This paper underscores the interaction of diverse geochemical environments in promoting complex biomolecules and contributes to origins-of-life research by explaining plausible pathways to life's emergence and focusing on astrobiological investigations of Mars and icy moons.
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