Abstract
We consider the transition of the prebiotic polymeric soup into a chemically differentiated and space structured material, this being a crucial step in the origin of animate matter when suitable elements become abundant on the earth. We suggest that Stochastic Resonance (SR) must have been a mechanism by which the periodic warming of the earth’s surface may have assisted this transition, by promoting and thus selecting those pathways with reaction time close to earth rotation period. Several points of general relevance to chemical evolution are briefly discussed. This proposal can be tested in the laboratory.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Preview
Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.
5. References
Benzi, R., Parisi, G., Sutera, A., and Vulpiani, A., (1981) Stochastic resonance in climatic change, Thellus 13 10–16.
Careri, G., (19847 Order and disorder in matter, Benjamin/Cumming Publ. Menlo Park Cal.
Gammaitoni, L., Hanggi, P., Jung, P., and Marchesoni, F., (1998) Stochastic Resonance, Rev. Mod. Phys. 70 224–287.
Goychuk, I., and Hanggi, P., (2000) Stochastic resonance in ion channels characterized by information theory, Phys. Rev. E 61 4272–4280.
Kauffman, S.A., (1993) The origins of order, Oxford Univ.Press, Oxford.
Lifson, S., (1997) On the crucial steps in the origin of animate matter, J. Mol. Evol. 44 1–8.
Ito, M., Handa, N., and Yanagama, H., (1986) Architecture of models for prebiotic synthesis of proteins: the structure and function of polypeptides synthetized in a fluctuating system. Origin of life 16 494–495
Rupley, J.A., and Careri, G., (1991) Protein hydration and function, Ad. Prot. Chem. 41 37–172.
Szathmàry, E., and Maynard-Smith, J., (1995) The evolutionary transitions, Nature 374 227–232
Wiesendeld, K., and Moss, F., Stochastic resonance and the benefit of noise: from ice ages to crayfissh and SQUIDS, Nature 373 33–36
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2001 Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht
About this paper
Cite this paper
Careri, G. (2001). Prebiotic Selection Induced by Periodic Starlight. In: Chela-Flores, J., Owen, T., Raulin, F. (eds) First Steps in the Origin of Life in the Universe. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-010-1017-7_14
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-010-1017-7_14
Publisher Name: Springer, Dordrecht
Print ISBN: 978-94-010-3883-6
Online ISBN: 978-94-010-1017-7
eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive