The dawn

One of the long-standing mysteries about the origin of life is the formation of nucleotides from simpler constituent molecules. Once one assumes the existence of RNA (a molecule similar to DNA, though less stable), the path to primitive forms of true life is fairly straightforward. RNA, in turn, is built up from nucleotides. But the nucleotides themselves are quite complex. How did they form from the simpler constituents existing on pre-biotic Earth? Now a British chemist has found the answer. The last gap in our knowledge of the path from the non-living to the living -- and ultimately to ourselves -- has finally been filled in.