Did Life Begin in an RNA World? | Quanta Magazine

The article is a Quanta Magazine feature exploring the "RNA world" hypothesis—the idea that life on Earth may have begun with self-replicating RNA molecules before the emergence of DNA and proteins. It examines how RNA can both store genetic information and catalyze chemical reactions, a dual capability that makes it a plausible candidate for the origin of life. The piece surveys key evidence and experiments, including laboratory work on ribozymes and attempts to recreate RNA-based replication under prebiotic conditions. It matters because the question of how life arose from nonliving chemistry remains one of biology's deepest unresolved problems, and RNA research sits at the center of that debate. What to watch next is whether ongoing experiments can demonstrate a plausible pathway from simple chemical building blocks to self-sustaining RNA systems.