Which experiment demonstrated abiotic synthesis of organic molecules from inorganic precursors?

Which experiment demonstrated abiotic synthesis of organic molecules from inorganic precursors?

• A. The discovery of the structure of DNA.
• B. The Miller-Urey experiment demonstrated abiotic synthesis of organic molecules from inorganic precursors.
• C. The polymerase chain reaction was developed.
• D. The observation of natural selection in finches.

Answer: (B)

Abiotic synthesis means creating organic molecules from simple inorganic starting materials without any living system involved. The Miller–Urey experiment showed this by simulating early Earth’s atmosphere with basic gases and applying electrical sparks to mimic lightning. Under those conditions, amino acids and other organic compounds formed from the inorganic precursors, demonstrating that the building blocks of life can arise abiotically. The other examples involve biological processes or human-made DNA techniques, not the chemical formation of organic molecules from inorganic starting materials.

Abiotic synthesis means creating organic molecules from simple inorganic starting materials without any living system involved. The Miller–Urey experiment showed this by simulating early Earth’s atmosphere with basic gases and applying electrical sparks to mimic lightning. Under those conditions, amino acids and other organic compounds formed from the inorganic precursors, demonstrating that the building blocks of life can arise abiotically. The other examples involve biological processes or human-made DNA techniques, not the chemical formation of organic molecules from inorganic starting materials.