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On the Origin of Life on Earth: The Nanozymes Hypothesis, and More

Summary

Scientists propose that tiny mineral particles called nanozymes, naturally occurring on early Earth, acted like primitive chemical factories to build the first molecules of life from simple gases and chemicals. These mineral particles could use sunlight energy to create organic molecules and gradually helped assemble proteins, DNA, and RNA from scratch. This theory bridges many competing ideas about life’s origins and explains how life emerged from non-living matter billions of years ago.

Background

The origin of life on Earth remains a fundamental scientific puzzle despite numerous proposed hypotheses. While various theories such as the RNA world, metabolism-first world, and lipid world have been proposed, each explains only narrow aspects of prebiotic chemistry. Recent advances in nanozyme research, particularly mineral nanozymes with enzyme-like properties, suggest these catalysts may have played crucial roles in early life emergence.

Objective

This paper proposes a comprehensive ‘nanozymes hypothesis’ that unifies existing origin-of-life theories by demonstrating how natural mineral nanozymes and upgraded organic-inorganic hybrid nanozymes catalyzed the emergence of life molecules on primordial Earth. The hypothesis aims to explain how proteins, DNA, and RNA could emerge near-simultaneously through diverse nanozyme-catalyzed pathways.

Results

The nanozymes hypothesis demonstrates that natural mineral nanozymes (FeS, ZnS, Fe3O4, etc.) could catalyze ‘inorganic photosynthesis’ converting CO2 and H2O into organic molecules and oxygen. Multiple critical roles of nanozymes are identified including catalysis, surface binding/confinement, anti-UV protection, chiral selection, and energy management. The framework resolves conflicts between competing origin-of-life hypotheses.

Conclusion

The nanozymes hypothesis provides a unified framework explaining how prebiotic life emerged through mineral and hybrid nanozyme catalysis under primitive Earth conditions. This hypothesis potentially resolves longstanding paradoxes like the RNA-protein chicken-and-egg problem and homochirality origin. Future experimental validation of nanozyme roles in prebiotic chemistry will further substantiate this theoretical framework.
  • Published in:Research (Washington DC),
  • Study Type:Theoretical Review,
  • Source: 10.34133/research.1025, PMID: 41377023
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