1. How did the Miller-Urey experiment impact the way scientists think about the origins of life?

Question

2. Use what you know about the Miller-Urey experiments to discuss the factors needed for life to arise, and speculate on whether life could arise on another planet.

Answer 1

The experiment demonstrated how some biological molecules, such as simple amino acids, could have arisen abiotically, under conditions similar to early Earth. Water, methane, ammonia and hydrogen were the chemicals used to produce the results of the experiment, therefore to produce similar results, one would have to have these chemicals present to initiate the reactions, this could lead to life arising on another planet.