Stanley Miller and Urey proved experimentally the chemical theory of origin of life

• After giving an authentic and widely accepted hypothesis about the origin of life by Oparin and Haldane popularly known as the chemical theory of origin of life.

• Stanley Miller and Harold C. Urey proved this theory by an experiment. The Miller and Urey experiment  also supported Oparin and Haldane’s  theory.

• It stated  that life gradually originated from inorganic molecules with the help of amino acids forming first and then they give rise to other biomolecules like proteins, glycoproteins, etc.

• Stanley and Miller performed an experiment by creating the primitive conditions  in the laboratory. These  conditions were like the  atmosphere of the primitive earth. 

• Under the guidance of his professor Harold Urey, Stanley Miller took Methane Ammonia and hydrogen in a 2:1:2 ratio in a two liter flask. Another flask that was filled with boiled water connected with the former flask.

• This connection was to continue supply of water vapor through a glass tube.

• As Oparin and Haldane demonstrate that the temperature of primitive earth was too high.

• So He used two tungsten electrodes that were fitted to the larger flask to provide the temperature by the electric discharge.

• That was created to bring the effect of lightning off the primitive atmosphere.

👌👌Remember This Miler apparatus was also called spark discharge apparatus

• The larger flask was connected to a small U shaped tube by means of a straight tube passing through a condenser.

• The water in the second  flask was heated and the released water vapor was added to the chemical mixture.

• When the electrodes were used to spark the temperature that was similar to the  lightning and storm of primitive earth.

• The water vapors were cooled and the water condensed. This condensed water trickles back in the first water flask in a continuous cycle.

• This experiment continued  for about a week. After a week Miller and Urey observed that a dark color liquid was condensed in a U shaped  tube.

• This liquid was a mixture of simple amino acids like glycine alanine and organic acids.

• By this it was proved that first life on earth was like a proteinaceous structure that was originated according to the oparin and Haldane hypothesis.