Image description: Life likely began in a bubble. Soap bubbles and cell membranes share similar physical principles influenced by electrostatic forces. They are formed by molecules with a hydrophilic head (interacts with water) and a hydrophobic tail (avoids water). Image source astronoo AI.
Abiogenesis describes the appearance of life from non-living matter. Before any cellular complexity, organic bubbles could have spontaneously emerged in the primitive environment, creating compartments that favored essential chemical reactions.
The first protective structures were likely membranes formed by amphiphilic fatty acids, capable of self-assembling into vesicles in aqueous environments. This encapsulation process played a crucial role in the evolution of complex biochemical systems.
The primitive conditions of Earth, rich in organic compounds and energy sources, facilitated the appearance of these first biological structures. Hydrothermal vents could have been suitable locations for molecular self-organization leading to life.
Read the full article: First Step Towards the Emergence of Life