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Chemoautotrophic Origin of Life: The Iron–Sulfur World Hypothesis

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Geomicrobiology: Molecular and Environmental Perspective

Abstract

The study of the origin of life is an immature science. If we apply the strictures of Immanuel Kant it may not be considered a mature science until it can be said to have embarked on a course of orderly progress. Indeed, if we review the development of research into the origin of life, we have to admit that it is still far from presenting the image of progress. It may be best characterized as an exercise of randomly groping around – and doing so at a number of different levels.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. D-80333, Munich, Weinstr. 8, Germany

    Günter Wächtershäuser

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  1. Günter Wächtershäuser
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Correspondence to Günter Wächtershäuser .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Dept. Biology, University of New Mexico, Castetter Hall 167, Albuquerque, 87131-0001, USA

    Larry L. Barton

  2. , Faculty of Science, Dept. of Biochmistry, Masaryk University, Kortlarska 2, Brno, 611 37, Czech Republic

    Martin Mandl

  3. , Department of Microbial Ecology, Fac. of, University of Vienna, Althanstrasse 14, Vienna, A-1090, Austria

    Alexander Loy

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Wächtershäuser, G. (2010). Chemoautotrophic Origin of Life: The Iron–Sulfur World Hypothesis. In: Barton, L., Mandl, M., Loy, A. (eds) Geomicrobiology: Molecular and Environmental Perspective. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-90-481-9204-5_1

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