The recent discovery of all five canonical nucleobases in samples from Bennu provides compelling evidence that some of life’s ingredients were synthesized abiotically in the parent body of this asteroid […]
The emergence of habitable conditions on the early Earth and on rocky exoplanets requires persistent energy sources that can drive both prebiotic chemistry and climate warming under magnetically active young […]
Bioorganic molecules, such as amino acids, nucleobases, and sugars, are widely distributed in space.
The origin of life is yet a compelling scientific mystery that has sometimes been attributed to high-pressure impacts by small solar system bodies such as comets, meteoroids, asteroids, and transitional […]
Direct chemical synthesis and chemical evolution are conceptually different models for the prebiotic origin of RNA and other biopolymers. These models generate distinct predictions and motivate different experimental approaches.
The P–O–P moiety plays a central role in inorganic and biological systems and is considered to be a critical precursor to the phosphate backbone of nucleotides.
Complex organic molecules (COMs) are thought to be the precursors of pre-biotic molecules and are observed in many protostellar sources.
The ongoing exploration of planets such as Mars is producing a wealth of data to define habitable environments beyond the Earth.
The origin of life likely involved a complex interplay between organic molecules and mineral surfaces, yet the molecular details of these interactions remain poorly understood.
Astrochemistry is a well-established multidisciplinary field devoted to the study of atoms and molecules in space.
