Researchers have identified a plausible geological setting in which nucleic acids, the fundamental building blocks of genetic material, could have replicated on their own, potentially giving rise to life on Earth.
The study, published as a reviewed preprint in the journal eLife, shows how a simple interaction between gas flow and water in a narrow rock channel could create the physical conditions necessary for nucleic acid replication.
The work offers insights that may interest scientists exploring the origins of life as well as applications in nucleic acid research and diagnostics.
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