What is an oven toaster that reproduces the moment of life's birth?

How the life form was born is a mystery which has not been elucidated yet, the theory that it was born in a high temperature / high pressure environment called a hot water injection hole heated by the underground magma, and repeated drying and wetting There is a theory that cells were born by repeating the binding and decomposition of molecules during the process. An American scientist who takes the latter theory is trying to elucidate the mystery of the birth of life using the oven toaster.

This Georgia Tech chemist is simulating the genesis of life in a $ 5 toaster oven
http://nautil.us/issue/27/dark-matter/the-dawn-of-life-in-a-5-toaster-oven

What happened when life was born for the first time on the earth has not been revealed yet. It is thought that the first living organism cells were born by hundreds of millions of years ago that molecules of non-living bodies are bound, but the theory is divided about what was originally born.

ByUmberto Salvagnin

It is defined as having two elements of "metabolism" which is a function of maintaining a body by acting and "self-replicating" which is a function of making the same thing as myself, if we define metabolism Is "protein" and it is the responsibility of self-replicationDNAYaRNA, So which one was born earlier is in the relationship of "Eggs first or chicken ahead", and controversy has continued since long ago.

In 1953 Dr. Stanley Miller discovered that organic matter such as amino acids and bases are synthesized after several days by repeating electric discharge by placing methane, water (water vapor), ammonia in the flask. Dr. Miller's discovery has given great impact to the world as it was thought that organic matter such as amino acids could only be created by life forms. After that, we succeeded in synthesizing the nucleic acid which constitutes the genetic code using the same method.

In the 1980's Mr. Thomas Check and Mr. Sydney Altman discovered a special RNA having a function as a catalyst to promote chemical reactions as well as protein as well as genetic information. This RNARibozymeIt was revealed that RNA can perform both metabolism and self-replication, and the hypothesis that the origin of life began with RNA was born.

ByCLS Research Office

Since RNA consists of nucleotides, the possibility that nucleotides are synthesized in some form has increased the possibility that it is the origin of life, but nucleotides are said to have occurred naturally by simply combining molecules It has an unthinkablely complex structure. However, in 2009, Mr. John Sutherland,RiboseSucceeded in producing nucleotides from sugars, bases through 2-aminooxazole.

As the nucleotide was successfully synthesized, further secret of the creation of living organisms is expected to be elucidated by experimentally generating RNA, Professor Nicholas Had of Georgia Institute of Technology, the top runner in this research field Conducts research to reproduce the environment where living organisms were born by repeating cycles of wetting and drying, heating and cooling.


Professor Hud is using the second used oven toaster purchased for 5 dollars to reproduce the environment of life creature. Opening a hole in the back of the oven toaster, installing a slide table removed from the used scanner, remodel it so that the tray can be taken in and out, and incorporating a jet nozzle of an inkjet printer, the process of drying and wetting, heating and cooling It seems to be able to repeat.


This homemade oven toaster device is named "day-night machine" and is actually used for experiments by Professor Hud and students. According to Professor Hud, there is an advantage because it is possible to put larger objects on the tray than the PCR device used to amplify DNA, and the amount of liquid that can be used is large. Furthermore, since it can be manufactured much cheaper than PCR equipment, it can be taken into student experiment without any hesitation, and it seems that you can do a lot of experiments by preparing a large number of day and night machines.