Aminosäuren und die Entstehung des Lebens. Spuren aus dem Weltraum

In order to better understand the origin of life on Earth the most recent chemical experiments are presented that successfully simulated the prebiotic genesis of amino acids. Surprisingly, laboratory samples of interstellar ice do not only contain classic amino acids but also diamino acids. Diamino acids are discussed to have triggered the appearance of the first genetic material, the peptide nucleic acid, on Earth. The European Rosetta‐mission that will pose a lander on a cometary surface hopefully will verify the outlined hypotheses on modern theories on the origin of life on Earth by analyzing cometary ice samples in situ.