Blockchain Computing Maps Vast Network of Early Earth Reactions That May Have Sparked Life
• Chemists used blockchain computing to generate the largest ever network of 4.9 billion chemical reactions that may have given rise to life's building blocks.
• The reactions were calculated based on known early Earth conditions and molecules using decentralized blockchain platforms like Golem.
• The reactions produced some molecules and pathways seen in modern metabolism, but self-replicating cycles were rare, indicating they emerged later.
• Blockchain computing enabled completing a vast chemical reaction network much faster and cheaper than with conventional supercomputers.
• The chemical reaction network provides insights into how metabolism could have emerged without complex enzymes.