Deep beneath the ocean’s surface, mineral-rich hydrothermal vents may have hosted a critical chemical reaction that helped spark life on Earth.

The study of the origin of life and prebiotic chemistry seeks to elucidate how inanimate chemical systems transitioned into self‐sustaining, evolving entities. Research in this field integrates ...

The latest in abiogenesis, early Earth chemistry, prebiotic molecules, and more. An editor’s selection of the C&EN stories that will continue to spark conversations in the week ahead ...

How can animate life be formed from inanimate matter? It’s one of the most fascinating enigmas in science because, without this crucial first step, called abiogenesis, there would be no life on Earth.

When and where did life on Earth begin? What ingredients does the recipe for life require? Is there life out there beyond the stars, and if so, did it arise in the same way? Or are we alone in the ...

Add Yahoo as a preferred source to see more of our stories on Google. The Sun's distance from Earth allows it to be habitable for life. DrPixel/Moment via Getty Images A popular model of evolution ...

Oceans churned with lava. Air filled thick with smoke. Asteroids stormed down incessantly. Life during the Hadean Eon four billion years ago was a struggle, and yet that was when it began. 1,2 With no ...

All told, from fires and dust storms, from crashing ocean waves and hurricanes, a trillion trillion bacteria cells are emitted into the air each year—a mass of more than 100,000 tons. Close to the ...

To celebrate the groundbreaking research of 2025 Drake Award recipients Dr. David Deamer and Dr. John Baross, the SETI Institute commissioned bioartist Dr. Jennifer Willet to create a unique artwork ...