The discovery that the adenosine derivative aids self-replication adds weight to the theory that life on Earth originated from a mixture of RNA molecules.

Microbes were living on land as early as 3.22 billion years ago, fossilized rocks show, 500 million years earlier than previously documented.

Contrary to some hypotheses, the organelles did not descend from any known lineage of Alphaproteobacteria, researchers find.

Growing evidence points to a once-habitable world—and recent findings suggest that life could exist on Mars today.

Reactions that generate fundamental components of the cell run smoothly in microdroplets, study shows.

New starring roles for nucleic acids

The dust surrounding emerging, Sun-like stars contains methyl isocyanate, an organic molecule.

A new estimate of the origin of life on Earth pushes back the date by 300 million years.

New research points to key properties of transfer RNA molecules and amino acids that may have supported the origin of life on Earth.