The Earth that cradled life: the role of silica

In this conference, we will explore the geochemical niches of the early Earth that could host the transition from inorganic to organic geochemistry, from there to prebiotic chemistry and the emergence of the complexity that would lead to the first life-like structures. We will discuss the crucial role of minerals, especially silica, in mineral self-organization and in the heterogeneous catalysis of prebiotic chemistry. We will also discuss the relevance of these experimental results in the origin of life and in detecting early terrestrial and extraterrestrial life.   Dr. Juan Manuel García-Ruiz is an Ikerbasque Professor at the Donostia International Physics Center and a Research Professor ad honorem at the Andalusian Institute of Earth Sciences at CSIC. He currently leads the ERC-Synergy project titled "The Role of Silica in the Dawn of Life on Our Planet."