Urey-Miller experiment

The Urey-Miller experiment, conducted in 1953, tested the idea that life's building blocks could form naturally on early Earth. Scientists simulated ancient Earth's conditions by mixing water, methane, ammonia, and hydrogen in a sealed environment, then periodically sparked it with electricity to mimic lightning. After a week, they found amino acids—the basic components of proteins—had formed. This experiment demonstrated that organic molecules necessary for life could originate from simple inorganic compounds through natural processes, supporting theories about the chemical origins of life on Earth.