Grab-and-go missions to asteroids have provided some of the most scientifically valuable samples since the Apollo ...

The origin of life is surely one of the most important questions in biology. How did inanimate molecules give rise to the ...

A substance poisonous to humans—hydrogen cyanide—may have helped create the seeds of life on Earth. At cold temperatures, ...

The origin of the first living molecules on our planet has long been debated. However, recent experiments are revealing new ...

The origin of life on Earth becomes even more fascinating and complex as we peer into the mysterious world of viruses. Said ...

In a new peer reviewed analysis, scientists quantify amino acids before and after our “last universal common ancestor.” The last universal common ancestor is the single life form that branched into ...

Billions of years of evolution have made modern cells incredibly complex. Inside cells are small compartments called organelles that perform specific functions essential for the cell’s survival and ...

Ushikuvirus is a newly identified giant virus that infects amoebas, adding to a growing group of oversized viruses that scientists believe may have played an important role in the emergence of complex ...

There is still so much we don't understand about the origin of life on Earth. The definition of life itself is a source of debate among scientists, but most researchers agree on the fundamental ...

In a new book, astrophysicist Mario Livio describes how the existence of life on Earth can be traced back to an RNA-based “protocell.” The following is an excerpt from Is Earth Exceptional?: The Quest ...