Astronomy
The Role of Ultraviolet Radiation in Prebiotic Atmospheric Chemistry
Quick fact
In Miller-Urey style experiments, exposing simulated prebiotic atmospheres to ultraviolet light can produce amino acids and other organic molecules, even without lightning or volcanic heat—showing that UV alone can drive prebiotic chemistry.
Why this is interesting
The Sun's ultraviolet rays are mostly harmful today, but billions of years ago they may have been the engine that built the first organic molecules. How could the same radiation that destroys life also have helped create it?