It’s long been known that chemical reactions are essential for life on Earth. Now, new research has revealed that a particular chemical reaction may have been key in blocking life from emerging on our planet until the right conditions were present. Scientists discovered that the reaction of formaldehyde with hydroxide ions in water is extremely efficient at creating polymeric molecules that could not serve as building blocks for life. This reaction could have prevented the emergence of life on Earth until the right conditions were present. This could offer a glimpse into how life may have originated on our planet.

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source: Phys.org