Prebiotic Stability of Primordial RNA

Determine whether RNA macromolecules formed under plausible prebiotic conditions would possess sufficient chemical and thermal stability over relevant timescales to persist and undergo evolutionary processes on early Earth.

Background

Beyond formation, the long-term persistence of RNA in hostile prebiotic environments is a critical requirement for any RNA-first scenario. The authors note that even if RNA can form, its stability may be inadequate for evolution to proceed, raising a separate unresolved question.

Addressing stability under realistic environmental parameters (e.g., temperature cycles, ionic strength, UV exposure) is essential to validate RNA’s role in early self-replicating systems.