On the Way to the Origin of Life: Surface catalyzed formation of biomolecules under primordial conditions

A possible chemoautotrophic origin of life at volcanic, hydrothermal settings is introduced. These settings are characterized by a high content of metal centers, such as iron, nickel and cobalt. Volcanic exhalations are a permanent source for inorganic gases like hydrogen sulfide, hydrogen cyanide, ammonia, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide and more. Chemical reactions like the formation of pyrite from iron sulfide or the water gas shift reaction provide enough energy to promote carbon fixation and reductive reactions which are able to form important bio molecules for the origin of life.