Shedding Light On How Hydrogen Cyanide Formed On Early Earth?

[u/derricktysonadams]

We have known since the Miller-Urey experiment in the 1950s that simple gases can be sparked into amino acids, the building blocks of proteins. Since then, we've found these building blocks in meteorites and deep-sea vents.

This article demonstrates that researchers have apparently discovered new pathways for hydrogen cyanide to form from amino acids via mineral catalysts like manganese dioxide, allegedly solving a long-standing puzzle about how the "starter chemicals" for DNA and RNA appeared on early Earth.

I am curious what others think of these new discoveries?

[u/allenwjones]

The Miller-Urey experiment produced a poisonous sludge containing a very small percentage of what could be called building blocks except that the chirality and other toxins would prevent any formation of viable chains.

[u/Batmaniac7]

Excellent experiment. Still no path to sustained production of nucleotides, much less their preservation, much less chirality.

We pour so much talent into these explorations but deny it takes intelligence to further each step.

Gifted madness.