One of the greatest questions in science may be close to being answered in the near future.

How and in what environment did life originate on Earth?

Plausible scenarios for the first steps towards life can only be described if sufficient information is available about the place and conditions in which life originated. From a geological perspective, water-filled fractures in the early continental crust provided ideal conditions.

The first author takes readers on his personal journey towards answering what may be the greatest question in biology. He shows how the pieces of the puzzle concerning the development of life fit together and shares his experiences in this complex field of research. While the first seven chapters of the second edition and Chapter 12 have been revised, Chapter 8 is entirely new. It logically connects known facts and presents a possible pathway towards the storage of genetic information in a first cell.

Chapters 9 and 10 contain additional contributions by Christian Mayer. He opens a fundamental discussion about the definition of “What is life?” by focusing on the relationship between order and complexity, with the first author adding a brief point for discussion on specific aspects in Chapter 11.

Ulrich C. Schreiber is a retired Professor of Geology at the University of Duisburg-Essen. At an early stage in his career, he combined his areas of expertise in classical geology, volcanology and tectonics with ecological questions extending as far as the deep biosphere.

Christian Mayer is officially retired but continues his research as a Professor of Physical Chemistry at the University of Duisburg-Essen. His research focuses include self-organizing molecular processes and prebiotic chemistry.

The research findings of both authors have been widely published internationally and featured in numerous science programmes.