Miller and Urey's Experiment

Experimental verification to support Biochemical origin of life

verification to support the Biochemical origin of life

Stanley Miller and Harold C. Urey(1953) tried to recreate the conditions that might have existed on the primitive atmosphere. For that, they had prepared the apparatus i.e. glass tubes and glass chambers which were fitted tightly as shown in the diagram. They kept H₂, CH₄, NH₃and H_2Oin gaseous chamber and allowed to condense into liquid and were accumulated in another chamber called liquid chamber.

The energy was supplied by heating liquid chamber and electric sparks from electrodes kept in a gaseous chamber. The experiment was continued for a week. The products obtained were condensed and collided into the lower chamber. The product was tested and a large number of amino acid along with alanine, glycine, aspartic acid and other organic compounds were formed.

The result of this experiment suggested that electricity from lightening in the primitive atmosphere containing H₂, CH₄, NH₃ resulted to form amino acids and other complex organic compounds.

Synthesis of inorganic materials with earth surface was possible in reducing atmosphere to form life. That was no longer in today's oxidising atmosphere. So, now life originated from preparation are only in today's context.