70 años de química prebiótica: el experimento de Miller | ciclo Los viernes de la evolución

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Miller's experiment aimed to replicate Earth's early atmospheric conditions, producing essential amino acids, sparking controversy and admiration for its simplicity and scientific impact. The experiment continues to be revered for its contribution to the study of life's origins and Miller's dedication to scientific exploration.

Insights

Dr. José Sarucan and another speaker welcome attendees to an evolution Friday session at the National College.
The first successful experiment on prebiotic chemistry was published in the magazine Sáenz after a series of challenges.
Miller's experiment marked the beginning of origin studies of life, leading to diverse precursors and energy sources.
A contemporary analysis using gas chromatography mass spectrometry revealed a diverse range of amino acids and additional compounds beyond what Miller had reported.
The experiment with the original samples supported the idea that similar reactions and synthesis occurred on the early Earth.

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What were the key findings of Stanley Miller's experiment?
Amino acids synthesis in primitive Earth conditions.

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Summary

00:00

"Prebiotic Chemistry Evolution: Pioneering Experiments and Discoveries"

Dr. José Sarucan and another speaker welcome attendees to an evolution Friday session at the National College.
Two colleagues, friends for 70 years, have been working in prebiotic chemistry since May 5, 1953.
The first successful experiment on prebiotic chemistry was published in the magazine Sáenz after a series of challenges.
Stanley Miller chose the University of Chicago for his doctorate due to financial aid for Czech students.
Miller's experiment marked the beginning of origin studies of life, leading to diverse precursors and energy sources.
Dr. Alicia Negrón Mendoza from the Institute of Nuclear Sciences will discuss molecules in outer planets and moons.
Dr. Sandra Ramírez from the Autonomous University of the State of Morelos will focus on similar topics.
Harold Reik's pioneering work in 1952 calculated the primitive Earth's atmosphere composition based on reaction constants.
Reik's experiment, designed by Stanley Miller, simulated primitive Earth conditions using methane, ammonia, hydrogen, and water vapor.
The experiment, subjected to electric discharges, produced amino acids like glycine, alanine, and betalanine, showcasing chemical changes.

18:51

"Miller's Experiment: Origins of Prebiotic Chemistry"

Stanley Miller's laboratory received a fax from the South Kensington Natural History Museum in London offering to buy samples of the original experiment for an exhibition.
Miller stored all the results of his experiments in small boxes, including samples from different gas runs and electric discharges.
A contemporary analysis using gas chromatography mass spectrometry revealed a diverse range of amino acids and additional compounds beyond what Miller had reported.
The experiment with the original samples supported the idea that similar reactions and synthesis occurred on the early Earth.
NASA provided a piece of the Murchison meteorite for comparison with amino acids synthesized in Miller's experiment, showing similar amino acids in the same proportions.
Prebiotic chemistry began with Miller's experiment, leading to simulations in the laboratory of chemical processes before the appearance of living beings.
The experiment focused on the synthesis of simple and complex compounds, emphasizing the stability of molecules.
Miller's experiment involved the transformation of reactants into products, with hydrocyanic acid identified as a key intermediate for prebiotic chemistry studies.
Miller's experiment sparked a multitude of experiments aiming to synthesize prebiotic molecules, with a focus on simulating planetary atmospheres.
Scientists and humanists have studied the origins of life by extrapolating current biology back in time and considering geochemical processes in synthesis.

37:23

"Origins of Life: Prebiotic Chemistry Experiments"

Miller's experiment simulated the primitive Earth's atmosphere, forming amino acids and compounds through electric discharges and other reactions.
Post-World War II, experiments varied energy sources and gas compositions, resembling Miller's setup.
Various experiments, like irradiating gas mixtures with energetic electrons, imitated natural radiation and solar conditions.
Joan Gold synthesized adenine, a nucleic acid component, by freezing a methane, ammonia, and water mixture and irradiating it.
Alfonso Luis Herrera's work in Mexico focused on amino acids' origin, contributing to the study of life's beginnings.
The transition from RNA to proteins in evolution was crucial, with ribozymes storing genetic information and catalyzing reactions.
Combinatorial chemistry and one-pot synthesis aim to improve reaction efficiency and explore unconventional paths in molecular synthesis.
The traditional perspective of molecule formation involves ribose and base nucleus synthesis, facing challenges like poor performance and complex reactions.
Geochemical scenarios with diverse organic compounds and interactions with minerals lead to interconnected molecule networks with challenging analysis.
The conclusion emphasizes that the whole in prebiotic chemistry is more than the sum of its parts, highlighting the complexity of life's origins.

55:38

Exploring Titan's Atmosphere and Organic Compounds

Rafael Navarro González recently passed away during the pandemic, and François, the director of the doctoral thesis in France, was a close collaborator of Perruna, a focus of Dr. Sandra Ramírez.
The discussion aims to understand the colors seen in outer planets and their moons, which are linked to the formation of compounds from precursors like hydrocyanic acid.
The round table discussion explores the extrapolation of laboratory results, such as those from the minedure experiment on extraterrestrial organic compounds, to other parts of the universe.
The experiment by Stanley Miller, lasting a week, involved a mixture of gases representing the primitive Earth's atmosphere, including methane, ammonia, and water, subjected to electric discharges.
The experiment utilized a Tesla coil due to the absence of other energy sources and the quartz material of the experimental device, which couldn't absorb ultraviolet radiation.
The experiment led to the production of amino acids like glycine and alpha alanine, showcasing the ingenuity and elegance of the process.
Titan, Saturn's largest moon, has a dense and cold atmosphere primarily composed of molecular nitrogen and methane, leading to the formation of various organic compounds.
Titan's atmosphere is much denser than Earth's, with a lower surface gravity, higher surface pressure, and significantly lower temperatures, around 94 degrees Kelvin.
The atmosphere of Titan extends to higher altitudes compared to Earth, with a temperature profile showing similarities to Earth's atmosphere, with ammonia and methane transforming into molecular nitrogen over time.
The atmosphere of Titan was originally composed of ammonia and methane, but due to solar radiation, ammonia dissociated into molecular nitrogen and hydrogen, with hydrogen escaping into space, leaving nitrogen as the primary constituent.

01:11:59

Exploring Titan: Chemistry, Atmosphere, and Potential Life

The chemistry between nitrogen and methane on Titan forms hydrocarbons based on carbon and hydrogen, as well as nitriles containing carbon, hydrogen, and nitrogen.
The mission Voyager 1 provided insights into Titan's exterior, revealing a homogeneous sphere with high brightness, temperature profiles, and atmospheric composition.
The Cassini Huygens mission, a joint effort by NASA, ESA, and ASI, aimed to explore Saturn and its satellites, particularly Titan.
The Huygens Probe was designed to penetrate Titan's dense atmosphere to investigate its surface composition, such as water, ice, or solid materials.
The mission was proposed in 1982, approved in 1988, and launched in 1997, reaching Saturn in 2004.
The Huygens Probe descended into Titan's atmosphere on January 14, 2005, starting at an altitude of 1,270 kilometers, with a parachute descent lasting approximately two and a half hours.
The Probe was programmed to operate for 4 hours and 36 minutes, collecting data to be transmitted back to Earth.
Upon landing, the Probe captured images of Titan's surface, revealing a varied geological landscape with hydrocarbon lakes, mists, canyons, small volcanoes, and sand dunes.
Experiments conducted on Earth simulated Titan's atmosphere, leading to the formation of aerosol analogues known as tholins, which polymerize from simple gaseous molecules.
The presence of water mixed with ammonia beneath Titan's surface suggests the potential for prebiotic chemistry, with all essential elements for life present, sparking interest in the possibility of life on Titan.

01:27:42

Amino Acid Analysis in Aerosols: Implications for Titan

Various analysis devices like gas chromatography, mass spectrometry, and ultraviolet infrared spectroscopy were used to analyze the amino acids produced after leaving aerosols in specific conditions for ten weeks.
Amino acids such as alanine, glycine, valine, sobalin, soleucine, proline, cerine, and urea were found in significant quantities.
The study indicated that under suitable conditions, amino acids can be generated through the recombination of essential raw materials.
Amino acids like alanine and glycine were found in higher quantities, along with amino acids with methyl branches, heterocycles like proline, and hydroxyl groups like La Serena.
Living beings use specific isomers of amino acids and sugars, with L amino acids and B amino acids being predominantly utilized.
Experiments did not delve into determining the chirality of the amino acids found.
The study aimed to determine the chemical structure of aerosols to ascertain if they had a polymeric or more complex structure.
Extrapolating the results to Titan, it was estimated that there could be significant amounts of amino acids present on the moon's surface.
The Dragonfly mission, scheduled for 2027, aims to explore Titan's surface for chemical evidence of past or present life based on carbon and water.
The mission will utilize a multirotor vehicle to explore different regions on Titan and analyze samples for signs of life.

01:44:34

"Origins of life's chiral mystery"

Amino acids lack symmetry, leading to uncertainty in their behavior.
Clay surfaces could have influenced the amplification of one amino acid over another due to spatial arrangements.
Radiation, including electromagnetic waves, might have played a role in amplifying one amino acid isomer.
Laboratory experiments typically yield equal proportions of amino acid isomers, requiring a chiral agent to bias towards one isomer.
The origin of life's connection to homochirality remains a mystery, with various explanations proposed.
Analytical challenges arise in determining stable biomolecules in meteorites and the primitive Earth model.
Dipeptides have been found in meteorites, suggesting natural synthesis of biomolecules.
Proline can catalyze the formation of sugars, indicating potential prebiotic chemistry pathways.
Combinatorial chemistry on surfaces can lead to protein formation, highlighting synthetic approaches to prebiotic chemistry.
The challenge in prebiotic chemistry lies in forming macromolecules with specific sequences, akin to rearranging letters to change meaning.

02:02:32

Chemical Evolution: Layers, Simulations, Challenges, Collaborations, Events

The experiment in question is not Miller's experiment but a design that considers possible layers of the primitive atmosphere, focusing on changing composition and proportions as one ascends in the atmosphere.
The layers in the atmosphere are defined by components and processes, with variations in composition and proportion affecting experiments, such as altering methane or ammonia levels.
Computer simulations are used to understand microscopic atoms and macroscopic cells, aiding in building molecules and studying interactions, especially in pharmaceutical applications.
Review articles integrating various experiment replicas are suggested, emphasizing the importance of comprehensive reviews in the field of chemical evolution.
Experimental projects in prebiotic chemistry face challenges in securing budgetary support, requiring extensive efforts to obtain funding and navigate technical reports.
Similar environments to Titan, rich in methane and conducive to forming organic compounds, are found on other Saturnian moons and gaseous planets like Neptune and Uranus.
An unpublished experiment by Miller and Segan aimed to simulate Jupiter's atmosphere to study organic compound formation, showcasing their resourcefulness and dedication.
Collaboration with international colleagues and institutions, like UNAM, is crucial for scientific progress, highlighting the importance of support from various sources.
A series of upcoming events and conferences are announced, covering topics ranging from literary criticism to mental health rights for migrants, inviting participation from the audience.
A book recommendation, "Proceedings" by Harvey, is suggested for those interested in scientific careers, detailing the personal sacrifices and challenges faced by aspiring academics and scientists.

02:20:37

Debate on DNA's Origin: Miller's Experiment

In the 1940s, a Soviet scholar initiated a debate on the origin of the DNA molecule, aiming to challenge the idea of life's creation without the involvement of God. Following Darwin's theories, it was widely accepted that 20 amino acids, the building blocks of proteins, played a crucial role. Inspired by this, a student named Miller conducted an experiment replicating Earth's early atmospheric conditions using basic chemical instruments, resulting in the creation of essential amino acids within a week. This experiment, despite controversy, continues to be admired for its simplicity, inspiring respect and admiration for Miller's vision, scientific knowledge, and determination.

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