Question

I'm building a terrarium in which an early life environment will be simulated. Over multiple years a few experiments with different starting molecules/atoms will be held in it. The selected materials will be manipulated through grinding against each other, being mixed, slow temperature change and radical temperature change. Different starting materials with different manipulations will lead to different new molecules being formed. The more diverse and complex the molecules I end up with are, the liklier it is I'm getting closer to simulating the start of life on a planet. I expect to find ways of recognizing certain molecules through how they 'behave'. The thing I'm most interested in, would be to map out what types of changes in environment are required to get over hurdles in which diversity or complexity start to stagnate.

The way I imagine I could set it up:

Get a very big, cleaned transparent plastic bag that's flexible enough for hands to be able to grip objects through it.

Put the bag around the terrarium, the selected prepackaged molecules, gas bottles, a bottle of alcohol and some tools.

Close the bag and install a small pump on its surface.

Pump as much air out of the bag as possible.

Release some gas from the bottles inside the bag to make working easier. (Else the bag sticks to the open terrarium-box)

Cover everything inside the bag with alcohol.

Pump all the gas out again and release new gas from the bottles.

Clean the insides and the lid of the terrarium with towels.

Open each bag of molecules (salts, carbon, water, etc.) and drop the contents into the terrarium.

Seal the terrarium very well.

Are there any better ways of sterilizing an environment to a point where no molecules formed through evolution on earth are inside of it?

E.G. heating it for a long time, drenching it in a base/acid...

Answer 1

Proper sterilization techniques other than plastic bags and alcohol, such as autoclaving, UV irradiation, and chemical sterilization, are critical for simulating early Earth conditions like the Miller-Urey experiments to investigate the origins of life.

Step-by-step explanation:

Simulating Early Earth Conditions

To simulate early Earth conditions and investigate the origins of life, sterilizing your experimental environment is crucial to ensure no contemporary organic molecules interfere with your results. While your method involving a plastic bag and alcohol may help to some extent, it might not fully sterilize the environment. Advanced sterilization techniques include autoclaving, UV irradiation, and chemical sterilization with agents like ethylene oxide. Additionally, ensuring that all materials are free of organic contaminants prior to introduction into the terrarium is vital. Simulations like the Miller-Urey experiments show that amino acids and other organic molecules can form under early Earth conditions. Control and documentation of each variable in the terrarium setup will help map out how environmental changes affect molecular complexity and diversity, contributing to our understanding of abiogenesis.