Explanation – The Miller-Urey experiment, conducted in 1952 by Stanley Miller under the guidance of Harold Urey, aimed to test the hypothesis that organic molecules, essential for life, could form spontaneously from inorganic compounds under conditions thought to resemble those of early Earth. The experiment simulated Earth’s primitive atmosphere using water, methane, ammonia, and hydrogen, with electric sparks mimicking lightning. It successfully produced amino acids, providing evidence for the abiogenesis hypothesis.

Source: Forum IAS