Prebiotic conditions on Earth

The prebiotic conditions on Earth were something like this:

  • land, seas, and many land-water interfaces
  • atmosphere with CH4, NH3, H2O
  • many organic molecules
  • solar energy input; heat from volcanos; giant impacts
  • meteorites containing organic material landing on Earth
  • a chemical soup (C, H, O, N, Si, S, P, etc.) both extraterrestrial and native

    In short, a violent, dynamic (and poisonous to us) place.

    Here's a cartoon:

    http://cmex-www.arc.nasa.gov/CMEX/data/Puzzle/Prebiot.htm

    The reasons why these various conditions might have been important will become apparent later this week and later in the course.

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