What it takes to solve the origin of life: An integrated review. Part 1–Experimental methods and data repositories

Summary The origin(s) of life (OoL), which has puzzled scientists for centuries, remains a major scientific challenge in the 21st century. Research on OoL spans many disciplines, including chemistry, physics, biology, planetary sciences, computer science, and mathematics. The sheer number of different scientific perspectives relevant to the problem has resulted in the coexistence of diverse tools, techniques, data, and software in OoL studies. This has made communication between the disciplines relevant to the OoL extremely difficult because the interpretation of data, analyses, or standards of evidence varies dramatically. Here, we hope to bridge this wide field of study by providing common ground via the consolidation of techniques rather than positing a unifying view on how life emerges. In part 1 of this review, we cover common experimental techniques that have been used significantly in OoL studies in recent years, while in part 2, we review theoretical, computational, and integrative methods. Here, we discuss the use of spectroscopy, spectrometry, chromatography, microscopy, and sequencing methods for characterizing diverse materials. We further discuss the role of data repositories in facilitating the analysis and dissemination of experimental data. This review provides a baseline expectation and understanding of the analytical aspects of origins' research. Ultimately, we aim to provide an educational tool that can facilitate more post-disciplinary collaborations in OoL research by helping scientists understand what they can do about the problem of life's origins, rather than telling them how to think about it.