Raymond Coker

A breakthrough experiment shows how RNA and amino acids might have joined to spark the first steps toward life.

Scripps scientists show that ribose may have been nature’s preferred sugar for building RNA, offering new insight into how life’s molecular foundations may have formed before biology began. Today, cells rely on enzymes to assemble complex molecules

New theory makes testable predictions.

The earliest cells harnessed energy through geochemical reactions, a process that LMU researchers have now successfully replicated in the lab. The earliest ancestor of all life on Earth likely thrived in warm environments, relied on hydrogen for

Life likely kicks off fast on Earth-like planets. But is Earth rare—or just the first clue?

After more than five decades of mystery, scientists have finally unveiled the detailed structure and function of a long-theorized molecular machine in our mitochondria — the mitochondrial pyruvate carrier. This microscopic gatekeeper controls how

Oxford researchers have unearthed a cosmic surprise showing that the hydrogen needed for water was embedded in the very rocks that formed Earth. Researchers at the University of Oxford have challenged the widely held theory that Earth's water came

Research suggests that calcium may have played a key role in guiding the development of a specific molecular handedness in primitive polyesters and early biomolecules. A new study from the Earth-Life Science Institute (ELSI) at the Institute of

A new theory links gravity to quantum entropy and introduces the G-field, possibly explaining dark matter and cosmic expansion. In a recent study published in Physical Review D, Professor Ginestra Bianconi, a Professor of Applied Mathematics at

Physicists have made a major leap in our understanding of quantum entanglement by fully mapping out the statistics it can produce – essentially decoding the language of the quantum world. This breakthrough reveals how the bizarre but powerful

Our DNA is constantly under threat — from cell division errors to external factors like sunlight and smoking. Fortunately, cells have intricate repair mechanisms to counteract this damage. Scientists have uncovered a surprising role played by long

For decades, scientists believed that intelligent life was a rare cosmic accident. A new study challenges that idea, arguing that humanity's emergence was not an improbable event but rather a natural consequence of Earth’s evolving conditions. By

Gaining insight could help understand the timing and process of life's emergence. A research team led by a Rutgers-New Brunswick scientist has found that water arrived on Earth later in its formation than previously believed. This discovery has

NASA’s OSIRIS-REx mission delivered samples from asteroid Bennu, revealing crucial molecules linked to life, including amino acids and nucleobases found in DNA and RNA. The presence of ammonia and formaldehyde suggests conditions ripe for forming

Scientists have long believed they understood how life’s genetic code evolved, but new research upends that assumption. By analyzing ancient protein sequences, researchers discovered that early life preferred smaller amino acids and incorporated

Discover how scientists blend biology, synthetic biology, and astrobiology to speculate on alien life forms, focusing on the shared characteristics that might transcend Earth's biosphere. One of the biggest challenges in astrobiology — the study of

Scientists discovered that choanoflagellates coordinate their movements through electrical signaling via voltage-gated calcium channels, offering key insights into the early evolution of multicellularity and nervous systems. A recent study published

Over 40 stars in a galaxy billions of light-years away were photographed, offering a glimpse into an era when the universe was only half as old as it is now. Astronomers using the James Webb Space Telescope have accomplished a monumental feat in the

A groundbreaking study combining the efforts of amateur and professional astronomers has redefined our understanding of Jupiter's atmospheric clouds. Initially believed to be composed of ammonia ice, new findings suggest they are actually made of

In an intriguing revelation from recent research, mitochondria have been shown not only to power the cell but also to manufacture essential cellular building blocks, balancing these roles, especially under stress. Scientists discovered a dynamic