The process by which life is thought to have emerged naturally from non-living matter in the early stages of Earth’s history.

Also known as: Spontaneous generation or autogenesis.

• Life’s Origin: Abiogenesis focuses on understanding how life originated from inanimate components, such as organic molecules, without the involvement of a pre-existing living organism.
• Primordial Soup Hypothesis: This hypothesis proposes that life emerged from a mixture of organic compounds, such as amino acids and nucleotides, in Earth’s early oceans, forming a “soup” that facilitated the development of early life forms.
• Miller-Urey Experiment: Conducted in 1952, this experiment simulated the conditions believed to be present on early Earth and successfully produced amino acids, providing evidence for the plausibility of abiogenesis.
• RNA World Hypothesis: This hypothesis suggests that, in the early stages of life’s evolution, RNA molecules played a key role as both genetic information carriers and catalysts for chemical reactions, preceding the emergence of DNA and proteins.
• Origin of Life on Earth: Studying abiogenesis provides insights into the conditions and processes that may have led to the emergence of life on our planet, contributing to our understanding of the evolutionary history of Earth and potential for life elsewhere in the universe.

Abiogenesis remains a topic of scientific investigation, and ongoing research aims to elucidate the exact mechanisms and series of events that could have allowed life to arise spontaneously. While significant progress has been made, numerous questions and debates persist, including the precise environmental conditions, the formation of complex biomolecules, and the transition from simple self-replicating systems to more advanced cellular structures.

Scientists employ various interdisciplinary approaches, including chemistry, biology, geology, and astrobiology, to explore the origin of life and replicate key prebiotic conditions in laboratory settings. Advances in these fields continue to shape our understanding of this fundamental biological puzzle.