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Electric Spark Theory

Why is this important?

What is electric spark theory?

Found that volcanic eruptions aid in the origin of life, producing carbonyl sulfide gas which helps link amino acids into chains called peptides

  • The belief that electricity (such as lightning) can activate molecules that generate the essential building blocks of life (proteins)

Showed how simple molecules could be assembled into more complex molecules that are necessary to life by biological processes

The famous experiment!

Miller-Urey experiment

Miller-Urey cont'd

The two filled flasks with water and molecule filled gases the molecules used were hydrogen, methane and ammonia (ancient atmosphere)

Not only did they mimic lightning, they immitated a volcanic eruption as well

They then zapped the water with an electric spark

Put steam into the gas

After a few weeks, the water began to turn brown

This new part of the experiment found 22 amino acids that were found in the lightning experiment, and 10 NEW amino acids

Found that the water had traces of amino acids (building blocks of proteins)

photo credit Nasa / Goddard Space Flight Center / Reto Stöckli

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