Abstract. Stellar nucleosynthesis of heavy elements such as carbon allowed the formation of organic molecules in space, which appear to be widespread in our Galaxy. The physical and chemical conditions—including density, temperature, ultraviolet (UV) radiation and energetic particles—determine reaction pathways and the complexity of organic molecules in different space environments. Dense interstellar clouds are the birth sites of stars of all masses and their planetary systems. During the protostellar collapse, interstellar organic molecules in gaseous and solid phases are integrated into protostellar disks from which planets and smaller solar system bodies form. After the formation of the planets 4.6 billion years ago, our solar system, including the Earth, was subjected to frequent impacts for several hundred million years. Life on Earth may have emerged during or shortly after this heavy bombardment phase, perhaps as early as 3.90–3.85 billion years ago, but the exact timing remains uncertain. A prebiotic reducing atmosphere, if present, predicts that building blocks of biopolymers—such as amino acids, sugars, purines and pyrimidines—would be formed in abundance. Recent modelling of the Earth's early atmosphere suggests, in contrast, more neutral conditions (e.g. H₂O, N₂, CO₂), thus, precluding the formation of significant concentrations of prebiotic organic compounds. Moreover, even if the Earth's atmosphere were reducing, the presence of UV photons would readily destroy organic compounds unless they were quickly sequestered away in rocks or in the prebiotic ocean. Other possible sources of organic compounds would be high temperature vent chemistry, although the stability of such compounds (bases, amino acids) in these environments remains problematic. Finally, organic compounds may have been delivered to the Earth by asteroids, comets and smaller fragments, such as meteorites and interplanetary dust particles.

It is likely that a combination of these sources contributed to the building blocks of life on the early Earth. It may even have taken several starts before life surpassed the less than ideal conditions at the surface. What is certain is that once life emerged, it learned to adapt quickly taking advantage of every available refuge and energy source (e.g. photosynthesis and chemosynthesis), an attribute that eventually led to complex metabolic life and even our own existence.

Current experimental research investigating the origin of life is focused on the spontaneous formation of stable polymers out of monomers. However, understanding the spontaneous formation of structure is not enough to understand the formation of life. The introduction and evolution of information and complexity is essential to our definition of life. The formation of complexity and the means to distribute and store information are currently being investigated in a number of theoretical frameworks, such as evolving algorithms, chaos theory and modern evolution theory.

In this paper we review the physical and chemical processes that form and process organic matter in space. In particular we discuss the chemical pathways of organic matter in the interstellar medium, its evolution in protoplanetary disks and its integration into solar system material. Furthermore, we investigate the role of impacts and the delivery of organic matter to the prebiotic Earth. Processes that may have assembled prebiotic molecules to produce the first genetic material and ideas about the formation of complexity in chemical networks are also discussed.

Print publication: Issue 10 (October 2002)
Received 27 March 2002, in final form 16 July 2002
Published 23 August 2002