Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: The origin of life in the Hadean eon required the formation of amino acids and nucleosides among the key molecules of life. It is assumed that highly unsaturated carbon and nitrogen containing feedstock molecules, which form in a strongly reducing H 2 ‐atmosphere were the reactive starting materials. The Hadean Earth was, however, surrounded by a CO 2 ‐dominated atmosphere and the question of how under such inert conditions the biomolecules could have formed is unsolved. Here, we report that HNO and formaldehyde, which form robustly in a weakly reducing atmosphere by lightning and UV‐irradiation, react with SO 2 to produce oxime, amidoxime, and nitrile‐containing molecules, which react to give precursors to amino acids and all four canonical nucleosides. The small number of feedstock molecules required suggests that the molecules of life can robustly form on all types of rock planets with volcanic activity and a CO 2 ‐dominated atmosphere.
Institution: Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München
Language: English
Subfield: Astronomy and Astrophysics
Field: Physics and Astronomy
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: hybrid
Estimated APC paid: $5,510
Awards: G1487475300, TRR 237: NukleinsäureImmunität, SFB 1361: Regulation von DNAReparatur und Genomstabilität, G3726397627, G3934559919, G434337789, SFB 1309: Chemische Biologie epigenetischer Modifikationen, Präbiotische Szenarien für den Ursprung von Pyrimidin Nukleosiden und Paarungssystemen, G7580957167, G8483229536
OpenAlex ID: W4413873622