Self-assembly and morphogenesis in prebiotic systems, extraterrestrial and terrestrial

Bettina Heinz; Hans D. Pflug

doi:10.1117/12.319852

6 July 1998 Self-assembly and morphogenesis in prebiotic systems, extraterrestrial and terrestrial

Bettina Heinz, Hans D. Pflug

Proceedings Volume 3441, Instruments, Methods, and Missions for Astrobiology; (1998) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.319852
Event: SPIE's International Symposium on Optical Science, Engineering, and Instrumentation, 1998, San Diego, CA, United States

Abstract

Recent findings strongly suggest that a well developed biosphere was present on Earth 3800 million years ago. Consequently life's origin must be considerably older. The remaining time span of Earth history appears to be too short for all the processes necessary for the evolution from a simple compound to a perfect organism. An alternative explanation implies that the prebiotic products required for the formation of life are of extraterrestrial origin and were imported from space with the early planetesimal in-fall that had struck the Earth prior to 3800 million years. Recent observations have detected a great variety of organic molecules in the interstellar clouds of our galaxy. Several molecules hitherto identified can be considered as precursors of the most biochemical compounds and structural components present in living systems. That prebiotic chemistry has been brought from interstellar space to Earth is an intriguing possibility. Cosmic dust can reach the Earth gently without being destroyed. Open to question is the condition in which the organics came down: were they at a prebiotic stage or in a biotic condition as originally postulated by Svante Arrhenius.

Citation Download Citation

Bettina Heinz and Hans D. Pflug "Self-assembly and morphogenesis in prebiotic systems, extraterrestrial and terrestrial", Proc. SPIE 3441, Instruments, Methods, and Missions for Astrobiology, (6 July 1998); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.319852

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