scholarly journals Chirality: The Backbone of Chemistry as a Natural Science

Symmetry ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (12) ◽  
pp. 1982
Author(s):  
Josep M. Ribó
Keyword(s):  
Chemical Evolution ◽  
Natural Science ◽  
Open Systems ◽  
Catalytic Synthesis ◽  
Darwinian Evolution ◽  
Temporal Scales ◽  
Atoms And Molecules ◽  
Chemical Complexity ◽  
Biological Homochirality

Chemistry as a natural science occupies the length and temporal scales ranging between the formation of atoms and molecules as quasi-classical objects, and the formation of proto-life systems showing catalytic synthesis, replication, and the capacity for Darwinian evolution. The role of chiral dissymmetry in the chemical evolution toward life is manifested in how the increase of chemical complexity, from atoms and molecules to complex open systems, accompanies the emergence of biological homochirality toward life. Chemistry should express chirality not only as molecular structural dissymmetry that at the present is described in chemical curricula by quite effective pedagogical arguments, but also as a cosmological phenomenon. This relates to a necessarily better understanding of the boundaries of chemistry with physics and biology.

scholarly journals Spontaneous mirror symmetry breaking and origin of biological homochirality

2017 ◽  
Vol 14 (137) ◽  
pp. 20170699 ◽  
Author(s):  
Josep M. Ribó ◽  
David Hochberg ◽  
Joaquim Crusats ◽  
Zoubir El-Hachemi ◽  
Albert Moyano
Keyword(s):  
Symmetry Breaking ◽  
Chemical Evolution ◽  
Mirror Symmetry ◽  
Darwinian Evolution ◽  
Nonlinear Kinetics ◽  
Systems Chemistry ◽  
Theoretical Simulations ◽  
Biological Chirality ◽  
Selection Of ◽  
Biological Homochirality

Recent reports on both theoretical simulations and on the physical chemistry basis of spontaneous mirror symmetry breaking (SMSB), that is, asymmetric synthesis in the absence of any chiral polarizations other than those arising from the chiral recognition between enantiomers, strongly suggest that the same nonlinear dynamics acting during the crucial stages of abiotic chemical evolution leading to the formation and selection of instructed polymers and replicators, would have led to the homochirality of instructed polymers. We review, in the first instance, which reaction networks lead to the nonlinear kinetics necessary for SMSB, and the thermodynamic features of the systems where this potentiality may be realized. This could aid not only in the understanding of SMSB, but also the design of reliable scenarios in abiotic evolution where biological homochirality could have taken place. Furthermore, when the emergence of biological chirality is assumed to occur during the stages of chemical evolution leading to the selection of polymeric species, one may hypothesize on a tandem track of the decrease of symmetry order towards biological homochirality, and the transition from the simple chemistry of astrophysical scenarios to the complexity of systems chemistry yielding Darwinian evolution.

scholarly journals Role of Mineral Surfaces in Prebiotic Chemical Evolution. In Silico Quantum Mechanical Studies

Life ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 10 ◽  
Author(s):  
Albert Rimola ◽  
Mariona Sodupe ◽  
Piero Ugliengo
Keyword(s):  
Chemical Evolution ◽  
In Silico ◽  
Density Functional ◽  
Quantum Mechanical ◽  
Mineral Surfaces ◽  
Chemical Complexity ◽  
Organic Mineral ◽  
Mechanical Methods ◽  
Prebiotic Chemical

There is a consensus that the interaction of organic molecules with the surfaces of naturally-occurring minerals might have played a crucial role in chemical evolution and complexification in a prebiotic era. The hurdle of an overly diluted primordial soup occurring in the free ocean may have been overcome by the adsorption and concentration of relevant molecules on the surface of abundant minerals at the sea shore. Specific organic–mineral interactions could, at the same time, organize adsorbed molecules in well-defined orientations and activate them toward chemical reactions, bringing to an increase in chemical complexity. As experimental approaches cannot easily provide details at atomic resolution, the role of in silico computer simulations may fill that gap by providing structures and reactive energy profiles at the organic–mineral interface regions. Accordingly, numerous computational studies devoted to prebiotic chemical evolution induced by organic–mineral interactions have been proposed. The present article aims at reviewing recent in silico works, mainly focusing on prebiotic processes occurring on the mineral surfaces of clays, iron sulfides, titanium dioxide, and silica and silicates simulated through quantum mechanical methods based on the density functional theory (DFT). The DFT is the most accurate way in which chemists may address the behavior of the molecular world through large models mimicking chemical complexity. A perspective on possible future scenarios of research using in silico techniques is finally proposed.

Ultraviolet irradiation of glycine in presence of pyrite as a model of chemical evolution: an experimental and molecular modelling approach

2016 ◽  
Vol 16 (3) ◽  
pp. 237-243 ◽  
Author(s):  
Azarhel de la Cruz-López ◽  
Ebelia del Ángel-Meraz ◽  
María Colín-García ◽  
Sergio Ramos-Bernal ◽  
Alicia Negrón-Mendoza ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Uv Radiation ◽  
Chemical Evolution ◽  
Molecular Modelling ◽  
Self Assembly ◽  
Structural Complexity ◽  
Interstellar Space ◽  
Chemical Complexity ◽  
Semi Empirical ◽  
Second Derivative Method

AbstractIn this work, the molecular interaction of the amino acid glycine and the mineral pyrite was performed to gain insight into the potential role of the mineral as a precursor of chemical complexity in the presence of ultraviolet (UV) radiation. Glycine samples were self-assembled on pyrite with and without exposure to UV radiation and subsequently characterized by scanning electron microscopy, infrared spectroscopy (with the second-derivative method), and AM1 and PM3 semi-empirical molecular computational simulations. In this work, our molecular modelling results suggest that pyrite acts as a template for self-assembly of glycine, and it is a potential catalyst for the glycine dimerization of relevance in interstellar space and ancient Earth conditions. A change in the structural complexity of glycine from the α to its γ polymorph when irradiated with UV radiation can be a condition for chemical evolution towards living forms.

The Study of Consciousness by Natural Science Methods: On a Possible Role of Wave-Like Integration Processes

Vestnik RFFI ◽  
2016 ◽  
pp. 61-71
Author(s):  
Boris M. Velichkovskiy ◽  
◽  
Mikhail V. Kovalchuk ◽  
Vadim L. Ushakov ◽  
Maksim G. Sharaev ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Natural Science ◽  
Science Methods

The role of branding in establishing open systems

StandardView ◽  
1994 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
pp. 18-26
Author(s):  
Roy McKean
Keyword(s):  
Open Systems

Prebiotic studies on the interaction of zirconia nanoparticles and ribose nucleotides and their role in chemical evolution

2021 ◽  
Vol 20 (2) ◽  
pp. 142-149
Author(s):  
Avnish Kumar Arora ◽  
Pankaj Kumar
Keyword(s):  
Electron Microscopy ◽  
Metal Oxide ◽  
Metal Oxides ◽  
Chemical Evolution ◽  
Ribonucleic Acid ◽  
Zirconium Oxide ◽  
Origins Of Life ◽  
Neutral Ph ◽  
Interaction Studies

AbstractStudies on the interaction of biomolecules with inorganic compounds, mainly mineral surfaces, are of great concern in identifying their role in chemical evolution and origins of life. Metal oxides are the major constituents of earth and earth-like planets. Hence, studies on the interaction of biomolecules with these minerals are the point of concern for the study of the emergence of life on different planets. Zirconium oxide is one of the metal oxides present in earth's crust as it is a part of several types of rocks found in sandy areas such as beaches and riverbeds, e.g. pebbles of baddeleyite. Different metal oxides have been studied for their role in chemical evolution but no studies have been reported about the role of zirconium oxide in chemical evolution and origins of life. Therefore, studies were carried out on the interaction of ribonucleic acid constituents, 5′-CMP (cytidine monophosphate), 5′-UMP (uridine monophosphate), 5′-GMP (guanosine monophosphate) and 5′-AMP (adenosine monophosphate), with zirconium oxide. Synthesized zirconium oxide particles were characterized by using vibrating sample magnetometer, X-Ray Diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy. Zirconia particles were in the nanometre range, from 14 to 27 nm. The interaction of zirconium oxide with ribonucleic acid constituents was performed in the concentration range of 5 × 10−5–300 × 10−5 M. Interaction studies were carried out in three mediums; acidic (pH 4.0), neutral (pH 7.0) and basic (pH 9.0). At neutral pH, maximum interaction was observed. The interaction of zirconium oxide with 5′-UMP was 49.45% and with 5′-CMP 67.98%, while with others it was in between. Interaction studies were Langmurian in nature. Xm and KL values were calculated. Infrared spectral studies of ribonucleotides, metal oxide and ribonucleotide–metal oxide adducts were carried out to find out the interactive sites. It was observed that the nitrogen base and phosphate moiety of ribonucleotides interact with the positive charge surface of metal oxide. SEM was also carried out to study the adsorption. The results of the present study favour the important role of zirconium oxide in concentrating the organic molecules from their dilute aqueous solutions in primeval seas.

scholarly journals The role of grains in molecular chemical evolution

1986 ◽  
Vol 128 (1) ◽  
pp. 17-31 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. M. Greenberg
Keyword(s):  
Chemical Evolution

Logikôs Argumentation in Aristotle’s Natural Science

Apeiron ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 0 (0) ◽  
Author(s):  
Adam Woodcox
Keyword(s):  
Natural Science ◽  
Textual Analysis ◽  
Natural Philosophy ◽  
Close Textual Analysis ◽  
Standard Domain

AbstractThis paper offers a novel interpretation of the nature and role of logical (logikôs) argumentation in Aristotle’s natural philosophy. In contrast to the standard domain interpretation, which makes logikôs argumentation the contrary of phusikôs, relying on principles drawn from outside the domain of natural science, I propose that the essential or defining feature of logikôs argumentation is the use of principles that are general relative to the question under investigation. My interpretation is developed and illustrated with a close textual analysis of Aristotle’s explanation of mule sterility in Generation of Animals II 8.

The Fiery Test of Critique

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ian Proops
Keyword(s):  
Natural Science ◽  
Precious Metal ◽  
Metal Content ◽  
Philosophical Method ◽  
Indirect Proof ◽  
Precious Metal Content ◽  
Self Knowledge ◽  
Justification Of Faith ◽  
Comprehensive Study

The book aims to provide a comprehensive study of the ‘Transcendental Dialectic’ of Kant’s first Critique. It argues that Kant conceives of ‘critique’ as a kind of winnowing exercise, aimed to separate the wheat of good metaphysics from the chaff of bad. However, he uses a less familiar metaphor to make this point, namely, that of ‘the fiery test of critique’. This turns out to be, not a medieval ordeal (a trial by fire), but rather a metallurgical assay: so-called ‘cupellation’—a procedure in which ore samples are tested for their precious-metal content. The upshot is that critique has a positive, investigatory side: it seeks not merely to eliminate the dross of bad ‘dogmatic’ metaphysics but also to uncover any hidden nuggets of value that might be contained in traditional speculative metaphysics. There are both gold and silver to be found. The gold is the indirect proof of Transcendental Idealism afforded by the resolution of the Antinomies, the silver Kant’s defence of theoretically grounded ‘doctrinal beliefs’ in a wise and great originator and in an afterlife. In the course of making these points, the book engages with Kant’s views on a number of central problems in philosophy and meta-philosophy, including: the explanation of the enduring human impulse towards metaphysics, correct philosophical method, the limits of self-knowledge, the possibility of human freedom, the resolution of metaphysical paradox (‘Antinomy’), the justification of faith, the nature of scepticism, and the role of ‘as if’ reasoning in natural science.

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