Chemists say they have solved a crucial problem in a theory of life’s beginnings, by demonstrating that RNA molecules can link short chains of amino acids together. The findings, published on 11 May ...

AI is helping chemists unpick the mysteries around the origins of life and detect signs of it on other worlds. The Biggest Questions is a mini-series that explores how technology is helping probe some ...

The flowing of molten rocks through small cracks in the heart of volcanoes may have been a perfect environment to forge the building blocks of life on Earth. These chemicals—called biopolymers—are an ...

More than four billion years ago, Earth was a very different place. Pools of water froze and thawed in cycles, minerals shaped reactions, and molecules bumped into each other by chance. Out of this ...

According to the research, the natural process of evolution may have been in action even before the development of life as we know it. Share on Facebook (opens in a new window) Share on X (opens in a ...

The self assembly of molecules into supramolecular structures responds to a variety of triggers, including light, temperature ...

If you were raised religious, you might have heard this biology “lesson” before: A student is handed a paper bag and a ball point pen. The teacher dismantles the pen into a pile of plastic and metal ...

Scientists at Rice University have engineered living cells to light up like tiny beacons, revealing protein changes in real ...