Chapter 4 - Nucleic Acids and the Origin of Life - 4.2 - The Small Molecules of Life Originated on Primitive Earth - 4.2 Recap - Learning Outcomes - Page 75: 2

By analyzing the meteorite that struck earth in 1969, scientists were able to determine that the rock had several types organic molecules on it, including purines, pyridines, saccharides and 10 amino acids. Since the scientists went to extreme lengths to protect the sample from earthly contamination, it seems likely that these macromolecules do in fact exist in space. Studying the configurations of the amino acids and determining the unique isotopic ratio of carbon and hydrogen on the meteorite further indicated that the macromolecules did not originate on earth.

By analyzing the meteorite that struck earth in 1969, scientists were able to determine that the rock had several types organic molecules on it, including purines, pyridines, saccharides and 10 amino acids. Since the scientists went to extreme lengths to protect the sample from earthly contamination, it seems likely that these macromolecules do in fact exist in space. Studying the configurations of the amino acids and determining the isotopic ratio of carbon and hydrogen on the meteorite further indicated that the macromolecules did not originate on earth.