This term refers to the process by which life arises naturally from non-living matter, such as simple organic compounds.
Miller-Urey Experiment: An experiment that simulated the conditions thought at the time to be present on the early Earth and tested for the occurrence of chemical origins of life.
Prebiotic Soup Theory: A theory suggesting that life began in a warm pond containing water and various molecules; over time, these molecules interacted to form more complex molecules leading eventually to life.