Open Science Repository Chemistry

doi: 10.7392/openaccess.45011865

The Natural Selection of 'Fitness Chemistry' in Darwin's Warm Little Pond

David. C. Horwell

Abstract

The concept of ‘Natural Selection of ‘Fitness Chemistry’ in Darwin’s Warm Little Pond’ offers a perspective on the chemistry that underpins the origins of life.

The term ‘Fitness Chemistry’ is proposed to describe the types of chemistry that have initiated  and become integrated with the functions of living organisms.

Fitness chemistry is described in terms of the physical and chemical properties of molecules that relate to their role in biological systems.

The origin of life on earth presents a conundrum that may never be truly resolved because the events occurred ~2-4 billion years ago, with no fossil records for support, except for the fact that fit chemicals still exist today in living organisms and must have originated somewhere. 

In this article, ‘fitness chemistry’ is described using the examples of ribose, de-oxyribose, amino acids, proteins and porphyrins, interwoven with the supporting physical processes such as autocatalysis, chemical cycles and chirality.

Keywords: fitness chemistry, ribose, de-oxyribose, porphryins, autocatalysis, chemosynthesis.

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APA

Horwell, D. (2017). The Natural Selection of “Fitness Chemistry” in Darwin’s Warm Little Pond. Open Science Repository Chemistry, Online(open-access), e45011865. http://doi.org/10.7392/OPENACCESS.45011865

MLA

Horwell, David. “The Natural Selection of ‘Fitness Chemistry’ in Darwin’s Warm Little Pond.” Open Science Repository Chemistry Online.open-access (2017): e45011865. Web. 20 Oct. 2017.

Chicago

Horwell, David. “The Natural Selection of ‘Fitness Chemistry’ in Darwin’s Warm Little Pond.” Open Science Repository Chemistry Online, no. open-access (October 23, 2017): e45011865. doi:10.7392/OPENACCESS.45011865.

Harvard

Horwell, D. (2017) ‘The Natural Selection of “Fitness Chemistry” in Darwin’s Warm Little Pond’, Open Science Repository Chemistry. Open Science Repository, Online(open-access), p. e45011865. doi: 10.7392/OPENACCESS.45011865.

Science

1. D. Horwell, The Natural Selection of “Fitness Chemistry” in Darwin’s Warm Little Pond, Open Sci. Repos. Chem. Online, e45011865 (2017).

Nature

1. Horwell, D. The Natural Selection of ‘Fitness Chemistry’ in Darwin’s Warm Little Pond. Open Sci. Repos. Chem. Online, e45011865 (2017).

doi

Research registered in the DOI resolution system as: 10.7392/openaccess.45011865.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License.