abiogenesis
n.n. the scientific study of how life first started on Earth from simple chemicals. It looks at how non-living matter might have turned into the first living cells.
n. the natural process by which life arises from non-living matter, such as simple organic compounds. It is a central topic in evolutionary biology and the study of the origins of life.
Scientists are still researching the exact process of abiogenesis.
The Miller-Urey experiment provided early evidence for abiogenesis by showing how amino acids could form in a simulated early atmosphere.
While the mechanisms of abiogenesis remain a subject of intense debate, most modern theories suggest that life began in hydrothermal vents where chemical gradients and mineral surfaces facilitated the formation of complex molecules.
From Ancient Greek ἀ- (a-, “not-”, the alpha privative) + βῐ́ος (bĭ́os, “life”) (ultimately from Proto-Indo-European gʷeyh₃- (“to live”)) + γένεσις (génesis, “origin, source; manner of birth; creation”) (ultimately from Proto-Indo-European ǵénh₁tis (“birth; production”)); equivalent to abio- + genesis. The words biogenesis and abiogenesis were both coined by English biologist Thomas Henry Huxley (1825–1895) in 1870 (see the quotation).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Last updated May 18, 2026