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Revision as of 06:46, 11 February 2008
 | It has been suggested that this article be split into multiple articles. (discuss) |
Chemical evolution has two meanings and uses. The first refers to the theories of evolution of the chemical elements in the universe following the Big Bang and through nucleosynthesis in stars and supernovas.
The second use of chemical evolution or chemosynthesis is as a hypothesis to explain how life might possibly have developed or evolved from non-life (see abiogenesis). Various experiments have been made to show certain aspects of this process, the first ones were done by Stanley L. Miller in the 1950s. For that they are now called Miller experiments. However only very basic organic building blocks were obtained. The challenge is getting complex molecules organized consistently.
The hypothesis is that simple chemical compounds could catalyze the creation of copies of themselves (somewhat similar to the formation of a crystal or polymer) in an environment rich with the necessary building block compounds or elements. As these chemical replicators "reproduce", they can be created with slightly different structures randomly, similar to biological mutations. Eventually these replicators would produce protocells.
See also
For evolution of chemical elements:
- Big Bang nucleosynthesis
- Stellar nucleosynthesis
- Supernova nucleosynthesis
- Cosmic ray spallation
- Interstellar medium
- List of molecules in interstellar space
- Astrochemistry
For origin of life:
- Abiogenesis
- RNA world hypothesis
- Self-replication
- Quasispecies model (hypercycle)
- Molecular self-assembly
- Autopoiesis
References
- Chemical Evolution: Origins of the elements, molecules and living systems by Stephen F. Mason, Clarendon Press, Oxford, 1991, ISBN 0-19-855272-6.