The Miller-Urey Experiment

Abstract
The question of the early beginning of life has been a bone of contention in his
tory. Experiments in chemistry laboratories have attempted to provide answers to
this most important issue beginning with the Oparin and Haldane theory of evolu
tion. Later, after Oparin and Haldaneâ s theory, Miller and his supervisor Urey suc
cessfully synthesized complex biomolecules using simple inorganic elements thoug
ht to be present during the primordial earthâ s conditions (Miller & Urey, 1959). T
his made a breakthrough in the understanding of the origin of life. This paper r
eports Miller-Urey experiment and identifies the setup that was used. The paper
gives significance to the discussion on the results obtained and the conclusions
made after the experiment and states the relevance of the experiment. A discuss
ion on the likelihood of life existing outside the planet Earth makes the conclu
sion of the paper.
Introduction
The hypothetical primitive Earthâ s conditions were first simulated in the Miller-U
rey experiment. Working at the University of Chicago in 1953, Stanley Miller and
his supervisor, Harold Urey attempted to explain that the conditions which exis
ted in primitive earthâ s atmosphere were permissive for building up complex bioche
mical molecules such as amino acids from much simpler inorganic elements (Miller
& Urey, 1959).
Experimental Setup
In their experiment, Miller and Urey introduced the molecules they thought to ha
ve existed in the primitive Earthâ s atmosphere into a vacuumed flask. They introdu
ced ammonia (NH3), methane (CH3), hydrogen (H2) and water (H2O) into a flask in
an attempt to synthesize organic compounds in prebiotic atmosphere-like conditio
ns.
Fig 1.1 The Setup used in Miller-Urey Experiment
Fig 1.1 The setup used in the Miller-Urey Experiment. The diagram shows
the arrangement of apparatus used to produce complex macromolecules from sim
ple inorganic molecules by passing an electric current through the tungsten
electrodes (The Internet Encyclopedia of Science)
Urey simulated the constant discharges from lightening as it was in the primitiv
e Earthâ s conditions by supplying a stream of electric current of 60,000 volts (Mi
ller & Urey, 1959). A simplified setup done by Miller and Urey is as shown above
.
The Results and the Conclusions
After a few days, Miller saw an interesting change in the content of the flask.
The flask contained rich organic compounds such as amino acids which are critica
l for supporting life on Earth (Miller & Urey, 1959). To their surprise, the met
hane and ammonia had all been reduced to nitrogen (N2) and carbon monoxide (CO).
Miller went further to apply methods in chromatography and confirmed the prese
nce of hydroxyl acids, 25 different amino acids, fatty acids and other amide pro
ducts in the flask. Miller and Urey then made a conclusion that the primitive Ea
rthâ s conditions were hospitable for supporting early life (Miller & Urey, 1959).
Significance of Miller-Urey Experiment
The Miller-Urey experiment proved that the conditions that existed in prebiotic
environment of the early Earth were capable of producing complex biochemical mol
ecules necessary for early life beginning (Miller & Urey, 1959). This claim was
first made by Oparin and Haldane in the theory of the origin of life on earth an
d the evolution of primitive chemicals. However, critics have always argued that
Miller and Urey never made efforts to explain a detailed origin of life as did
Francis Crick, James Watson, Francis Rosalind and Wilkins in the same year 1953
in their discovery of the double helical structure of the deoxyribonucleic acid
(DNA).
The Miller-Urey experiment forms the basis of our understanding that the complex
life is made up of simpler elements, hydrogen, ammonia and methane (Miller & Ur
ey, 1959). This is repeated in the realization that the DNA is made up of bases,
 guanine, cytosine, thymine and adenine which have carbon, nitrogen, hydrogen an
d oxygen as the building elements of the bases. The Miller-Urey experiment has i
nspired novel scientific inquiries into the prebiotic chemistry and has been of
significant influence in the explanation of the origins of life.
Evidence of Life Elsewhere, Outside the Planet Earth
There seems to be traces of life on the planet Mars. Strains of the simple eleme
nts used during the Miller-Urey experiment have been observed on the planet Mars
(Miller & Urey, 1959). In addition, comets as well as other bodies in space suc
h as meteorites are believed to have complex carbon macromolecules such as those
observed in Murchison, a meteorite that fell on September 28, 1969 near Murchis
on in Australia. Murchison contained more than 90 amino acids of which 19 amino
acids are found on the planet Earth. There is significant evidence that the earl
y Earth was highly bombarded by a number of comets which supplied the complex or
ganic compounds (Miller & Urey, 1959). This implies that there is a possibility
of life outside the planet Earth.
Reference:
Miller, S. L & Urey, H. C (1959). Organic compounds synthesis on the primitive E
arth. Science. 130 (3370): 245-251