(Phys.org)—A team of researchers at Harvard University has demonstrated a few-component system of interacting organic species that,when combined into a reaction network, displayed autocatalytic and oscillatory features—a first. In their paper published in the journal Nature, or the team explains how they developed their process and why they believe it may lead to a better understanding of the factors that led to the formation of life on soil. Annette Taylor with the University of Sheffield in the U.
K. offers a News & Views piece on the work done by the team in the same journal issue,outlining the work and explaining why it does not necessarily mean that scientists are now close to creating life in a petri dish.
Source: phys.org