Emergence

EMERGENCE - Second in the Protocells Triptych

Warm volcanic pools of water undergo continuous cycles of evaporation and then hydrating from precipitation. During hydration, bilayer sheets of lipid molecules self-assemble into a gel and then into spheres called protocells. The gels and the spheres contain the minerals and organic compounds already present in the water.  Some of the compounds are able to link together into polymers called proteins and nucleic acids. The polymers have the potential to function as catalysts, grow and reproduce.