Meteorite-common amino acid induces formation of nanocavities in clay mineral, hinting at life's origins
Researchers at the universities of Amsterdam and Utrecht have observed the formation of nanocavities in montmorillonite clay under exposure to gamma-aminobutyric acid, a molecule commonly found on meteorites. This hitherto unrecognized phenomenon could be relevant to the origin of life on Earth, by introducing 3D confined nano-environments in clay that might have facilitated life's first chemistry. The findings have been reported in Communications Earth & Environment.
Researchers at the universities of Amsterdam and Utrecht have observed the formation of nanocavities in montmorillonite clay under exposure to gamma-aminobutyric acid, a molecule commonly found on meteorites. This hitherto unrecognized phenomenon could be relevant to the origin of life on Earth, by introducing 3D confined nano-environments in clay that might have facilitated life's first chemistry. The findings have been reported in Communications Earth & Environment.
