On April 13, 2023, Dr. Dominic Papineau, an associate professor from University College London, was invited by Professor Chao Li, the Dean of the Institute of Sedimentary Geology and the Director of the International Center for Sedimentary Geochemistry and Biogeochemistry Research, to carry out academic exchange at our university. He gave a scholarly presentation entitled “Chemically oscillating reactions as a new model for prebiotic chemistry and the origin of life” in the 424 conference room on the fourth floor of the Waterlibrary. The presentation was attended by faculty, graduate students, and undergraduate students from our institute and other schools, and a lively and in-depth discussion was held.
In his presentation, Dr. Papineau provided a detailed introduction to the principles and processes of chemically oscillating reactions (COR). These reactions occur in open systems and are far from equilibrium. Some components of the reactions undergo periodic concentration changes, resulting in a series of products with unique forms. The in-depth study of COR is of significant importance in fields such as biology, medicine, and artificial intelligence. Dr. Papineau has pioneered the application of COR in the field of Earth sciences, suggesting that these reactions have occurred extensively in the formation processes of various rocks and minerals throughout geological history. They may be the main controlling factors behind common structural phenomena such as nodules and concretions and have played an important role in prebiotic chemistry in the early Earth. Subsequently, Dr. Papineau showcased partial test results of Martian rock samples and proposed that further research on COR would contribute to the advancement of extraterrestrial life exploration. During the discussion session, our faculty and students engaged in enthusiastic discussions with Dr. Papineau on topics including COR, the origin of life, and extraterrestrial life exploration.
Brief introduction of the speaker:
Dominic Papineau is an Associate Professor in the Department of Earth Sciences of University College London and the London Center for Nanotechnology. His research interests include the origin and evolution of life before the Cryogenian Period and astrobiology. His main research areas include:
(1) The early Earth from prebiotic chemistry to the origin of the first microbial life;
(2) Discrimination between life and non-life signals in sedimentary rocks and volcanic rocks;
(3) Biogeochemical cycling of ancient microbial communities and C, N, S, and P;
(4) Ancient and Neoarchean atmospheric-oceanic oxidation processes and the rise of complex life.
He has published over 80 papers in internationally authoritative journals such as Nature, Science Advance, Nature Geoscience, Nature Communications, GCA, and EPSL, which have been cited over 4000 times.
