In a new study published in the journal Chemical Systems Chemistry, Professor Tony Jia and his team at Hiroshima University have proposed a “prebiotic gel-first” framework. This framework explores how the origins of life might arise within gels adhering to surfaces. The authors also consider the potential existence of “xenophiles,” meaning alien biofilm-like structures that may be extraterrestrial or consist of various terrestrial components. They emphasize the importance of agnostic life detection strategies in the quest for both known and unknown forms of life.
An artist’s impression of a prebiotic gel on the surface of early Earth. Image credit: Nirmell Satthiyasilan.
“The question of how life began has intrigued humanity for ages,” remarked Professor Jia and his co-authors.
“While no one can journey back in time to witness the inception of life, scientists are continually piecing together plausible narratives from chemistry, physics, and geology.”
“Contrary to many theories that concentrate solely on the role of biomolecules and biopolymers, our theory incorporates the significance of gels in the origin of life.”
Within this newly proposed prebiotic gel-first framework, the researchers hypothesize that life could have emerged within gel matrices affixed to surfaces—adhesive, semi-solid substances that possess traits reminiscent of today’s microbial biofilms, which are thin layers of bacteria thriving on rocks, pond surfaces, and even human-made structures.
By integrating insights from soft matter chemistry and contemporary biology, they suggest that such primitive gels may have provided essential structure and functionality for increasingly sophisticated early chemical systems, long before the advent of the first cells.
Prebiotic gels may have addressed crucial hurdles in pre-living chemistry by trapping and organizing molecules, enabling concentration, selective retention, and environmental buffering.
Within these gels, primitive chemical systems may have developed early metabolism and self-replicating behaviors, paving the way for biological evolution.
“This is merely one theory among numerous others within the extensive field of origin-of-life research,” stated Dr. Kuhan Chandru from the Space Science Center at the National University of Malaysia.
“Yet, the significance of gels has been largely overlooked; thus, we aimed to synthesize fragmented research into a cohesive narrative that places primitive gels at the center of discourse.”
Scientists have extended this concept into astrobiology, proposing that similar gel-like systems could exist on other planets.
These possible “xeno-membranes” may serve as non-terrestrial analogues of biofilms and consist of unique chemical components specific to each region.
This viewpoint suggests that the structures themselves, rather than specific chemicals, could be the next focus for life-detection missions, expanding the methods by which astrobiologists can search for life beyond Earth.
The authors now plan to validate their model experimentally by investigating how simple chemical gels formed under early Earth conditions and what properties they imparted to emerging chemical systems.
Dr. Ramona Khanum, also from the Space Science Center at the National University of Malaysia, expressed: “We hope our research will inspire others in the field to investigate this and other unresolved theories concerning the origin of life.”
_____
Ramona Khanum et al. Prebiotic gel as the cradle of life. Chemical Systems Chemistry, published online on November 19, 2025. doi: 10.1002/syst.202500038
Source: www.sci.news
