Molecular Origins of Life, Munich 2026

Sitzung

Session C

11.06.2026, 14:30

LMU Munich - Great (Große) Aula

4. Archaea as a Living Archive of Biochemical Innovation in the Evolution of Complex Cells

Dina Grohmann (University of Regensburg)

11.06.26, 14:30

Dina Grohmann

Recent research has established archaea as the closest known relatives of eukaryotes and thus central to understanding the origin of complex life. Often thriving in extreme or chemically unusual environments, archaea provide insight into how life persists under conditions resembling early Earth [1,2] and how the first complex cellular systems may have evolved. In this talk, I...

23. Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in Planetary Atmospheres: Bridging Astrochemistry and Prebiotic Complexity

Barbara Ercolano (LMU Munich)

11.06.26, 14:55

Barbara Ercolano

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are a pervasive component of astrophysical environments and represent a key reservoir of carbon in planetary systems. In this talk, I will present our efforts in understanding PAH formation, processing, and chemical impact in protoplanetary discs and planetary atmospheres, drawing on recent advances in coupled thermo-chemical and...

28. Deep Mantle–Atmosphere Coupling and Carbonaceous Bombardment: Options for Biomolecule Formation on an Oxidized Early Earth

Klaus Paschek (Max Planck Institute for Astronomy, Heidelberg)

11.06.26, 15:20

Klaus Paschek

The emergence of life on Earth required reducing conditions; however, the geological record suggests an early oxidizing atmosphere. How, then, was the primordial soup prepared? How can the Miller-Urey experiment be saved? We address these questions by extending a photochemical model of the Hadean atmosphere to evaluate the impact of different sources of reducing gases. These...

33. Moderated Discussion - Session C

11.06.26, 15:45