How life's building blocks took shape on early Earth: The limits of membraneless polyester protocell formation

Earth & Climate News -- ScienceDaily · last updated February 9, 2025 – 4:53 PM

A recent study investigates how polyester microdroplets, potential precursors to modern cells, could form under realistic early Earth conditions. Researchers pushed these conditions to the limits, demonstrating that these protocells can emerge from the polymerization of alpha-hydroxy acids (HAs) even at low concentrations/volumes and in salty environments. The findings indicate that polyester protocells were more prevalent than previously thought, potentially forming in environments on early Earth from rock pores to briny pools.

here today, more tomorrow

We’ve launched briefing.center with a focus on the press and media.

And we’ve added Citizen Cartwright, a daily quick-read news summary by veteran Washington journalist Linda Cartwright. We’ve also created a new voting rights knowledge center for Citizen Cartwright subscribers. (You can sign up for a dedicated morning email at citizencartwright.com.)

You can sign up here for full access to press and media and Citizen Cartwright on briefing.center.

You can use briefing.center as the center of your information management, or just one of your tools. We’re happy to discuss your information needs.