Hot Stones or Cold Soup? New Investigations on the Endogenous Origin of Organic Compounds on Earth

The prebiotic synthesis of small organic molecules is thought to be the first important step for the origin of life. New investigations indicate that relevant compounds can also be formed in the crust or in volcanic and hydrothermal vents under extreme conditions. Minerals such as magnetite Fe₃O₄ [Eq. (1)] or pyrite play an important role in these reactions.