Sources of Organic Compounds for Early Life
There are three identified ways in which organic compounds might have been
naturally produced, giving early life a source of stable energy. In this
organic-rich environment, Primordial Soup, life might have began.
Miller Urey Experiment
They recreated a pre-biotic Earth in the lab, assuming a highly reducing
environment (no O2, lots of NH3 and CH4), liquid water heated to
get a vapor, then sparking their primitive atmosphere and letting the
result condense back to liquid water. This was left for a few weeks, then
the water collected was analyzed. Indeed, about 1/6th the C had formed
into complex organic molecules, including amino acids!
What's wrong? This works only for a very reducing atmosphere, predominant
with NH3 and CH4, which is no longer thought to be
correct.
Hydrothermal Vents on the Ocean Floor. Water percolated through
the rock provides energy for autotrophic microorganisms to form organic
compounds. Recall
genetic evidence that early life was hypothermophilic, conditions of
early earth (mostly oceanic crust), and the safety of deep oceans from
large meteoritic impacts. This is now a favorite theory.
Incoming Meteorites. Comets, asteroids contain rather
complex organic molecules (including amino acids) some of which should be
able to make it through the atmosphere, or the shock wave of their
entry to Earth's atmosphere may have
produced enough energy for complex molecule formation.
Certainly the most famous. Proposed by Urey in the 1950's, then demonstrated
by Miller. 