Origin of Life on Earth | New Space Economy

Infographic describing possible delivery of water and organic molecules from comets, asteroids, meteorites, and interplanetary dust to early Earth, with evidence from meteorites and a distinction between delivered ingredients and panspermia.

DID THE INGREDIENTS FOR LIFE COME FROM SPACE?

Infographic summarizing six proposed early-Earth environments for the origin of life and listing the energy sources, chemicals, possible advantages, and scientific challenges associated with each.

WHERE DID LIFE BEGIN?

Infographic explaining how RNA may have preceded DNA and proteins, including RNA’s dual roles, ribozymes, possible early advantages, a transition to modern cells, and unresolved challenges.

Infographic showing eight milestones from Earth’s formation to well-established microbial life, with approximate dates and sections on known evidence and remaining uncertainties.

THE ORIGIN-OF-LIFE TIMELINE

Infographic explaining how hypothetical protocells could form from simple molecules, develop membranes, concentrate chemistry, grow and divide, and support early replication and metabolism.

PROTOCELLS: THE MISSING LINK

Educational infographic describing a 1953 study in which water and simple gases were circulated through a spark chamber, producing organic molecules and amino acids while highlighting limitations and later research.

THE MILLER-UREY EXPERIMENT

Educational infographic explaining the most recent common ancestor of current life, its estimated age, inferred cellular and genetic features, the three domains of life, scientific evidence, and unresolved questions.

LUCA: THE LAST UNIVERSAL COMMON ANCESTOR

Infographic explaining that evidence for Earth’s earliest life is investigated through ancient sedimentary rocks, stromatolites, possible microfossils, carbon and sulfur isotope signatures, organic biomarkers, laboratory experiments, and molecular phylogenetics; it also lists erosion, incomplete records, ambiguous signals, and ongoing debate as challenges.

HOW DO SCIENTISTS SEARCH FOR EVIDENCE OF EARTH’S FIRST LIFE?

Seven-stage origin-of-life infographic describing early Earth, ocean formation, prebiotic chemistry, organic molecules, possible self-replicating chemistry, protocells, and early microbial life, with notes on evidence and continuing research.

HOW DID LIFE BEGIN ON EARTH?

Infographic summarizing nine proposed stages in the emergence of life, from simple inorganic compounds through organic molecules, polymers, catalytic information, protocells, metabolism, growth, division, and early cells.

FROM CHEMISTRY TO BIOLOGY: THE STEPS TOWARD THE FIRST LIFE