Protolife

I would like to express my gratitude to Dr B. F. Windley, who not only supplied the information contained in §6, and contributed the Appendix, but also prepared the manuscript for press during my absence abroad. Mr N. W. Pirie gave helpful advice, and Dr W. G. Meinschein supplied some valuable references.

@article{sylvesterbradley1975references,
    author = "Sylvester-Bradley, P. C.",
    title = "References - The search fro protolife",
    year = "1975",
    journal = "Proceedings of the Royal Society of London. Series B. Biological Sciences",
    abstract = "I would like to express my gratitude to Dr B. F. Windley, who not only supplied the information contained in §6, and contributed the Appendix, but also prepared the manuscript for press during my absence abroad. Mr N. W. Pirie gave helpful advice, and Dr W. G. Meinschein supplied some valuable references.",
    url = "https://doi.org/10.1098/rspb.1975.0054",
    doi = "10.1098/rspb.1975.0054",
    number = "1095",
    pages = "230-233",
    volume = "189"
}

Convincing evidence for the existence of extraterrestrial protolife has been found in the organic geochemistry and fossil contents of carbonaceous meteorites. The search for prebiological protolife in the early history of the Earth has so far been concentrated on the investigation of low-grade metamorphic areas characterized by greenstone belts. Despite some puzzling isotope data, it seems likely that life had already colonized the areas represented by these low-grade terrains. It is suggested that a more profitable search could be extended to high-grade metamorphic areas, which are likely to include older rocks. Even the oldest rocks known (ca. 4000 Ma B.P.), however, show evidence (in relics of banded iron formations, and in the presence of marble and disseminated graphite) of biological activity. It seems that carbon isotope ratios have so far provided the most powerful tool towards understanding this situation. Efforts should be directed towards identifying a period in Earth history which postdates the origin of life but antedates the origin of photosynthesis, but from present evidence it would seem that both events occurred before the formation of the oldest rocks known.

@article{sylvesterbradley1975the,
    author = "Sylvester-Bradley, P. C.",
    title = "The search for protolife",
    year = "1975",
    journal = "Proceedings of the Royal Society of London. Series B. Biological Sciences",
    abstract = "Convincing evidence for the existence of extraterrestrial protolife has been found in the organic geochemistry and fossil contents of carbonaceous meteorites. The search for prebiological protolife in the early history of the Earth has so far been concentrated on the investigation of low-grade metamorphic areas characterized by greenstone belts. Despite some puzzling isotope data, it seems likely that life had already colonized the areas represented by these low-grade terrains. It is suggested that a more profitable search could be extended to high-grade metamorphic areas, which are likely to include older rocks. Even the oldest rocks known (ca. 4000 Ma B.P.), however, show evidence (in relics of banded iron formations, and in the presence of marble and disseminated graphite) of biological activity. It seems that carbon isotope ratios have so far provided the most powerful tool towards understanding this situation. Efforts should be directed towards identifying a period in Earth history which postdates the origin of life but antedates the origin of photosynthesis, but from present evidence it would seem that both events occurred before the formation of the oldest rocks known.",
    url = "https://doi.org/10.1098/rspb.1975.0053",
    doi = "10.1098/rspb.1975.0053",
    number = "1095",
    pages = "213-230",
    volume = "189"
}

@book{fox1978the1,
    author = "Fox, S. W",
    title = "The origin and nature of protolife, in Heidcamp, W. H., ed",
    year = "1978",
    publisher = "Baltimore, University Park Press, p. 23-92",
    note = "talkorigins\_source = {true}; raw\_reference = {Fox, S. W., 1978, The origin and nature of protolife, in Heidcamp, W. H., ed., : Baltimore, University Park Press, p. 23-92.}"
}

@article{lipkin1994from,
    author = "Lipkin, Richard",
    title = "From Proteins to Protolife",
    year = "1994",
    journal = "Science News",
    url = "https://doi.org/10.2307/3978332",
    doi = "10.2307/3978332",
    number = "4",
    pages = "58",
    volume = "146"
}

@incollection{pappelis1995domain,
    author = "Pappelis, Aristotel and Fox, Sidney W.",
    title = "Domain Protolife",
    year = "1995",
    booktitle = "Chemical Evolution: Structure and Model of the First Cell",
    url = "https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-011-0105-9\_14",
    doi = "10.1007/978-94-011-0105-9\_14",
    pages = "129-132"
}

@article{marinakis2007from,
    author = "Marinakis, Yorgos D.",
    title = "From quasi-organism to protolife",
    year = "2007",
    journal = "Ecological Complexity",
    url = "https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecocom.2007.05.001",
    doi = "10.1016/j.ecocom.2007.05.001",
    number = "3",
    pages = "102-112",
    volume = "4"
}

Five representative terrestrial analogs of lunar craters are detailed relevant to Precambrian fumarolic activity. Fumarolic fluids contain the ingredients for protolife. Energy sources to derive formaldehyde, amino acids and related compounds could be by flow charging, charge separation and volcanic shock. With no photodecomposition in shadow, most fumarolic fluids at 40 K would persist over geologically long time periods. Relatively abundant tungsten would permit creation of critical enzymes, Fischer-Tropsch reactions could form polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and soluble volcanic polyphosphates would enable assembly of nucleic acids. Fumarolic stimuli factors are described. Orbital and lander sensors specific to protolife exploration including combined Raman/laser-induced breakdown spectrocsopy are evaluated.

@article{green2009precambrian,
    author = "Green, Jack",
    title = "Precambrian Lunar Volcanic Protolife",
    year = "2009",
    journal = "International Journal of Molecular Sciences",
    abstract = "Five representative terrestrial analogs of lunar craters are detailed relevant to Precambrian fumarolic activity. Fumarolic fluids contain the ingredients for protolife. Energy sources to derive formaldehyde, amino acids and related compounds could be by flow charging, charge separation and volcanic shock. With no photodecomposition in shadow, most fumarolic fluids at 40 K would persist over geologically long time periods. Relatively abundant tungsten would permit creation of critical enzymes, Fischer-Tropsch reactions could form polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and soluble volcanic polyphosphates would enable assembly of nucleic acids. Fumarolic stimuli factors are described. Orbital and lander sensors specific to protolife exploration including combined Raman/laser-induced breakdown spectrocsopy are evaluated.",
    url = "https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms10062681",
    doi = "10.3390/ijms10062681",
    number = "6",
    pages = "2681-2721",
    volume = "10"
}

@article{pross2016a,
    author = "Pross, Addy and Pascal, Robert",
    title = "A Roadmap toward Synthetic Protolife",
    year = "2016",
    journal = "Synlett",
    url = "https://doi.org/10.1055/s-0036-1589403",
    doi = "10.1055/s-0036-1589403",
    number = "01",
    pages = "30-35",
    volume = "28"
}

@misc{crossrefNonemeteorites,
    title = "Meteorites: Nature and origin",
    year = "None",
    booktitle = "SpringerReference",
    url = "https://doi.org/10.1007/springerreference\_4185",
    doi = "10.1007/springerreference\_4185"
}

@incollection{leeNonemeteorites,
    author = "Lee, Typhoon",
    title = "Meteorites: Nature and origin",
    year = "None",
    booktitle = "Encyclopedia of Earth Science",
    url = "https://doi.org/10.1007/0-387-30752-4\_101",
    doi = "10.1007/0-387-30752-4\_101",
    pages = "844-847"
}