One of 100 openings · Discover · Origins of life · checked Aug 2026

First to demonstrate a continuous path from geochemistry to Darwinian life

The finish line

One reproducible system proceeds from plausible simple geochemistry to self-maintaining, heritable evolution without researcher assembly of the evolving unit.

Why it is still open

NASA’s astrobiology program continues to investigate the unsolved transition from chemistry to biology.

NASA Astrobiology · Research