Cutting-edge X-ray spectroscopy has been utilized by scientists to explore the potential role of ionized urea molecules in the inception of life on Earth, thereby setting the stage for progress in the nascent field of attochemistry. The image above depicts the proton transfer triggered by photoionization between a pair of urea molecules in an aqueous urea solution. Credit: Ludger Inhester
By Astrosaxena
Groundbreaking technology has shed new light on the enduring enigma of how life on Earth first came into existence.
Before the dawn of life on this planet, the environment existed in what is termed the pre-biotic stage, characterized by a less dense atmosphere. This resulted in pervasive high-energy radiation from extraterrestrial sources, leading to the ionization of molecules. It is postulated that small pools of water containing urea, an organic substance crucial for the creation of nucleo bases, were subjected to this high-intensity radiation. This led to the transformation of urea into reactive compounds that would ultimately serve as the foundational elements for DNA and RNA.
To delve deeper into this transformative process, it was necessary for researchers to comprehend the intricacies of the ionization and subsequent reactions of urea, in addition to the paths and energy dispersion of these reactions.
An international consortium of researchers, led by corresponding author Zhong Yin—an Associate Professor stationed at Tohoku University’s International Center for Synchrotron Radiation Innovation Smart (SRIS)—along with collaborators from the University of Geneva (UNIGE), ETH Zurich (ETHZ), and the University of Hamburg, made headway in this area through the application of a revolutionary X-ray spectroscopy method.
Employing a high-harmonic generation light source in conjunction with a sub-micron liquid flat-jet, this technology afforded the scientific community the ability to scrutinize chemical reactions transpiring in liquids with an unprecedented level of temporal accuracy. Notably, this avant-garde technique permitted the examination of the complex alterations in urea molecules on the femtosecond scale—a unit of time that equates to one quadrillionth of a second.
Zhong Yin states, “For the inaugural time, we have revealed the way urea molecules behave post-ionization. Radiation ionization inflicts damage upon the biomolecular structure of urea. However, the process of energy dissipation results in dynamic changes in the ureas that transpire on the femtosecond time scale.”
Prior examinations of molecular reactions were constrained to the gaseous phase. To extend this inquiry to the liquid environment, which is more representative of biological chemical processes, the team had to devise an instrument capable of producing an ultra-thin liquid jet, with a thickness less than one millionth of a meter, within a vacuum setting. A thicker jet would have obstructed accurate measurements by absorbing some of the X-rays involved in the procedure.
Yin, serving as the principal experimentalist, posits that their discovery transcends the question of Earth’s biogenesis and opens avenues for exploration in the emergent scientific domain of attochemistry. “To capture chemical reactions in real-time and further attochemistry, shorter light pulses are indispensable. Our methodology allows for the observation of a molecular film, tracing each stage of the process sequentially.”
Reference: “Femtosecond proton transfer in urea solutions probed by X-ray spectroscopy” by Zhong Yin, Yi-Ping Chang, Tadas Balčiūnas, Yashoj Shakya, Aleksa Djorović, Geoffrey Gaulier, Giuseppe Fazio, Robin Santra, Ludger Inhester, Jean-Pierre Wolf, and Hans Jakob Wörner, published on 28 June 2023, in Nature.
DOI: 10.1038/s41586-023-06182-6
Table of Contents
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about Origins of Life on Earth
What technology was used to explore the origins of life on Earth?
Cutting-edge X-ray spectroscopy was utilized to examine the role of ionized urea molecules in the formation of life on Earth.
Who led the international research team?
The research was led by corresponding author Zhong Yin, an Associate Professor stationed at Tohoku University’s International Center for Synchrotron Radiation Innovation Smart (SRIS).
What was the novel approach taken by the researchers?
The researchers employed a high-harmonic generation light source and a sub-micron liquid flat-jet. This allowed them to scrutinize chemical reactions in liquids with unprecedented temporal accuracy on the femtosecond scale.
What is the significance of examining reactions on the femtosecond scale?
The femtosecond scale, which is one quadrillionth of a second, allowed the researchers to understand how urea molecules behave post-ionization, including the energy dissipation process.
What does this research contribute to the field of attochemistry?
The research opens new pathways for exploration in the emerging scientific domain of attochemistry, a field focused on understanding chemical reactions in real-time.
How does this study differ from previous studies on molecular reactions?
Previous studies were limited to examining reactions in the gaseous phase. This study extended the inquiry to the liquid environment, offering a more comprehensive understanding of biological chemical processes.
What is the practical application of the ultra-thin liquid jet in the research?
The ultra-thin liquid jet, with a thickness less than one millionth of a meter, was essential for conducting accurate measurements in a liquid environment, as a thicker jet would have absorbed some of the X-rays.
What are the implications of this research beyond understanding the origins of life on Earth?
Beyond elucidating the origins of life, the research methodology allows for the observation of a “molecular movie,” tracing each stage of chemical reactions, thereby advancing the field of attochemistry.
More about Origins of Life on Earth
- Nature Journal Publication
- Tohoku University’s International Center for Synchrotron Radiation Innovation Smart (SRIS)
- University of Geneva – Chemistry Department
- ETH Zurich – Department of Chemistry and Applied Biosciences
- University of Hamburg – The Institute of Experimental Physics
- Attochemistry: An Overview
- X-ray Spectroscopy Techniques
- What is a Femtosecond?
8 comments
incredible. A thin jet in a vacuum for chemical reactions? Science never ceases to amaze.
Didn’t know what attochemistry was until now. sounds like a game changer in science for real.
I wonder how many more years it’ll take until we crack the code on life’s origin. but hey, progress is progress.
I’ve read the Nature journal article, and this write-up does it justice. Kudos to the writer for breaking down complex stuff.
This is a huge step in understanding life’s origins. Zhong Yin and his team are really pushing the boundaries.
So we’ve gone from seconds to milliseconds, now all the way down to femtoseconds? what’s next, lol
This is how you make science approachable but still serious. Keep articles like this coming!
Wow, this is mind-blowing stuff! Never thought urea could be so important in the grand scheme of things.