Washington: A new study has provided a deeper insight into the origin of life phenomenon mystery.
University of Akron polymer scientist found that certain amino acids and sugars were simply meant to be in life.
Professor of Polymer Science Tianbo Liu has discovered that Mother Nature's clear bias toward certain amino acids and sugars and against others isn't accidental.
Liu explained that all life molecules are paired as left-handed and right-handed structures. In scientific terms, the phenomenon was called chirality. Nature's selection of only right-handed sugars and left-handed amino acids upon which to build life might be much simpler than expected before.
Liu found that any molecules, if large enough (several nanometers) and with an electrical charge, will seek their own type with which to form large assemblies.
While an understanding of how homochirality occured at the onset of life remains a mystery, this new finding emphasized that Mother Nature's inner workings might not be as complex as previously thought.
The study is published in Nature Communications.
