Chemical evolution

Earlier this year, Sijbren Otto, professor of Systems Chemistry at the University of Groningen, was awarded a EUR 1.5 Million VICI grant by the Dutch science funding agency NWO. Otto will use the grant to investige chemical evolution over the next five years. He studies molecules that are capable of self-replication. Could this replication include some form of Darwinian evolution? And can this lead to the emergence of life? This short film explains the science behind the grant.

Please note, the English version of the film is available at our YouTube channel.