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Related Experiment Videos

Chemical evolution and meteorites: an update.

Sandra Pizzarello1

  • 1Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287, USA. pizzar@asu.edu

Origins of Life and Evolution of the Biosphere : the Journal of the International Society for the Study of the Origin of Life
|February 26, 2004
PubMed
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Primitive meteorites called carbonaceous chondrites delivered organic molecules, including amino acids with L-enantiomeric excesses, to early Earth. This extraterrestrial input may have influenced the origin of life and homochirality.

Area of Science:

  • Astrobiology
  • Organic Geochemistry
  • Prebiotic Chemistry

Background:

  • Carbonaceous chondrites are primitive meteorites rich in organic matter.
  • This organic material offers insights into prebiotic chemical evolution.
  • Meteoritic compounds resemble terrestrial biomolecules like amino acids and carboxylic acids.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the role of carbonaceous chondrites in delivering prebiotic molecules to early Earth.
  • To explore the potential contribution of meteoritic organic compounds to terrestrial homochirality.
  • To understand how exogenous material may have influenced endogenous prebiotic chemistry.

Main Methods:

  • Analysis of organic compounds in carbonaceous chondrites.
  • Investigation of enantiomeric excesses in meteoritic amino acids.

Related Experiment Videos

  • Modeling of chemical evolution pathways involving extraterrestrial inputs.

    • Main Results:

    • Carbonaceous chondrites contain diverse soluble organic compounds, including amino acids, carboxylic acids, and sugar derivatives.
    • Specific amino acids, particularly alpha-methyl amino acids, exhibit L-enantiomeric excesses.
    • These findings suggest a potential exogenous source for early Earth's chiral molecules.

    Conclusions:

    • Meteoritic delivery of organic material, including chiral compounds, likely played a role in prebiotic chemical evolution on Earth.
    • Alpha-methyl amino acids from meteorites could have provided initial enantiomeric excesses and mechanisms for amplification.
    • Exogenous carbonaceous material may have complemented endogenous processes, influencing the origin of life.