iron-sulfur world hypothesis

The iron-sulfur world hypothesis suggests that life’s origins began around hydrothermal vents in the Earth's oceans. These vents release mineral-rich fluids containing iron and sulfur. Under certain conditions, these minerals could catalyze chemical reactions that formed complex organic molecules—the building blocks of life. This environment provided energy, essential elements, and a protected space for these reactions to occur. Over time, these molecules could have organized into more complex structures, eventually leading to living organisms. Essentially, the hypothesis proposes that life originated in mineral-rich, chemically active deep-sea environments fueled by hydrothermal activity.