Science
Benzene reaction may explain how DNA and RNA building blocks formed on early Earth
Key Points
Caltech researchers have identified a novel chemical reaction that could explain the formation of the building blocks of DNA and RNA, the molecules that encode all of life's functions. The work is an important step toward understanding how life may have emerged on Earth and potentially elsewhere in the universe, showing the straightforward and efficient pathways through which simple molecules can give rise to complex biological precursors.
Caltech researchers have identified a novel chemical reaction that could explain the formation of the building blocks of DNA and RNA, the molecules that encode all of life's functions. The work is an important step toward understanding how life may have emerged on Earth and potentially elsewhere in the universe, showing the straightforward and efficient pathways through which simple molecules can give rise to complex biological precursors.