Abiotic Synthesis And The Deep Sea Vent Hypotheses

Although both abiotic synthesis and the deep-sea vent hypotheses argue the environment of a primordial-Earth was required for the origin of life, the two hypotheses have their differences. In general, the abiotic synthesis hypothesis describes the process of how organic compounds can be created from inorganic compounds, while the deep-sea vent hypothesis argues a possible scenario where life may have originated from inorganic compounds. While the term â€Å"primordial soup† has been used to describe abiotic synthesis, the same term has been used to describe the extreme environment surrounding hydrothermal vents. In Stanley Miller’s experiment, Bada and Lazcano (2008, p.745) argue, Miller showed abiotic synthesis took place by introducing an electric current to a circulating mixture of pressurized â€Å"CH4, NH3, H20, and H2.† However, samples of both types of hydrothermal vents show different mixtures than that of Miller’s experiment. Although the LCHF lac ks CO2, according to William Martin, John Baross, Deborah Kelley, and Michael J. Russell (2008, p.806) the compound was not used in Miller’s experiment, but the vent did release ample amounts of H2 and CH4, which were used in Miller’s experiment. Black smokers, on the other hand, give off H2, but also release CO2 and H2S (Martin et al., 2008, p.806). The two hypotheses agree that life on Earth originated around roughly 3.8 billion years ago. Another similarity between the two hypotheses is both argue the precursors of life areShow MoreRelatedThe Origin Of Life On Earth2069 Words   |  9 Pagesmade it possible. Life on Earth originated billions of years ago, either in the conditions of an early Earth environment or from deep-space meteors, the most compelling hypotheses aiming to explain how life originated are abiotic synthesis, the deep-sea vent hypothesis, and panspermia. A popular theory aiming to explain the origin of life on Earth is abiotic synthesis, a hypothesis which argues an early Earth atmosphere would have provided an ideal environment for the formation of amino acids and