Pyrite Formation, the First Energy Source for Life: a Hypothesis

Wächtershäuser, Günter

doi:10.1016/s0723-2020(88)80001-8

Cited by 374Origins and Evolution of LifePaleontology and Stratigraphy of FossilsEarth Systems and Cosmic Evolution

Pyrite Formation, the First Energy Source for Life: a Hypothesis

Wächtershäuser, Günter·1988·Systematic and Applied Microbiology

DOI 10.1016/s0723-2020(88)80001-8

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Redox reactions between precipitated transition metal sulfides, such as FeS, could have provided free energy and electrons for prebiotic synthesis through generation of pyrite.
“It was suggested that redox reactions between precipitated transition metal sulfides, such as iron monosulfide (FeS), could have provided the free energy and electrons for prebiotic synthesis through the generation of pyrite (Wächtershäuser 1988).”
From The Emergence of Life (2019) · cites this paper as Wächtershäuser 1988
A mesophilic LUCA may still be compatible with a hydrothermal origin of life.
“However, they may still be compatible with a hydrothermal origin of life (e.g.Russell et al. 1988;Wächtershäuser 1988;Shock 1990;Pace 1991;Russell and Hall 1997;Schwartzman and Lineweaver 2004;Wächtershäuser 2006;Ooka et al. 2018), as discussed earlier in this article, considering that the first and last universal common ancestor(s) may have been very different.”
From The Emergence of Life (2019) · cites this paper as Wächtershäuser 1988

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“It was suggested that redox reactions between precipitated transition metal sulfides, such as iron monosulfide (FeS), could have provided the free energy and electrons for prebiotic synthesis through the generation of pyrite (Wächtershäuser 1988).”
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Authors: Wächtershäuser, G.
Corresponding author: Wächtershäuser, Günter
Venue: Systematic and Applied Microbiology
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Published: 1988-08
Volume: 10
Issue: 3
Pages: 207-210
ISSN: 0723-2020 (ISSN-L)
DOI: 10.1016/s0723-2020(88)80001-8
OpenAlex: W1964932530
Semantic Scholar: 7514316b1f6719c16191a55476e2eeb5fadf5161
Cited by: 374
References: 15
Citations by year: 2026: 7 · 2025: 8 · 2024: 8 · 2023: 25 · 2022: 9 · 2021: 14 · 2020: 11 · 2019: 19 · 2018: 11 · 2017: 15 · 2016: 10 · 2015: 8 · 2014: 9 · 2013: 8 · 2012: 10
FWCI: 12.63
Type: journal article
Language: en
Open access: closed
Licence: www.elsevier.com/tdm/userlicense/1.0/ (tdm)
www.elsevier.com/legal/tdmrep-license (tdm)
Locations: Systematic and Applied Microbiology (publishedVersion)
Topics: Physical Sciences › Physics and Astronomy › Astronomy and Astrophysics › Origins and Evolution of Life
Physical Sciences › Earth and Planetary Sciences › Paleontology › Paleontology and Stratigraphy of Fossils
Physical Sciences › Earth and Planetary Sciences › Atmospheric Science › Earth Systems and Cosmic Evolution
Keywords: pyrite formation, origin of life, hydrogen sulfide, ferrous ions, early Earth geochemistry, iron sulfide

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