several amino acids. Since these are the basic building blocks of protein and nucleic acids, the theory
seemed to be well confirmed. Subsequent experiments produced even more complex molecules. These
were then shown to coalesce in aqueous solution into small, membrane-bound spheres which looked
much like the postulated "protocells". These structures were called coacervates by Oparin and
proteinoids by Fox, two of the foremost students of biogenesis.
While no-one was able to produce anything that could even remotely be called living, the
experimental results seemed remarkably close to the theory. However, there was a very basic problem.
All such organic chemicals exist in two forms, identical in composition and in the arrangement of
components, except sterically, where there always are two isomeric forms. These are revealed by their
ability to rotate light transmitted through their solutions. There are dextrorotary (D) forms and
laevorotatory (L) forms. All artificial procedures for producing these chemicals, including Miller's
technique and its derivatives, produce a mixture of both forms in roughly equal amounts. Living things,
on the other hand, are always composed of one type: dependent upon the species, all organic chemicals
within their bodies will be either D or L forms, but never both. To arrive at the same result artificially
one must deliberately start with chemicals of all one structural type or introduce the asymmetry in some
other fashion. Obviously, in all such experiments the concept of a random process has been discarded
and the experimenter is in a sense "playing God."
If one accepts the "Jupiter-like" atmosphere concept (and it does seem to be realistic) one must
introduce a source of asymmetry into the biogenic process. A theory has been proposed by Cole and
Graf which does precisely that (5). Their analysis of the geomagnetic environment of the pre-Cambrian
earth indicates that it could have not only provided the energy necessary for the first reactions, but also
imprinted upon the initial molecules a single isomeric structure and a peculiar resonant frequency.
They propose that the greater extent of the atmosphere at that time resulted in a displacement of
the ionosphere to a much greater distance from the surface of the earth than at the present time. This,
plus the position of the Van Allen belts of trapped particles in the outer reaches of the magnetic field
and the earth's magnetic field, produced a spherical, concentric cavity resonator located between the
ionosphere and the earth's surface. Fluctuations in the large currents flowing in the Van Allen belts
generated by the time-varying magnetic field of the earth and the solar wind produced extremely high
magnitude currents in the equatorial ionosphere. These currents, coupling with the conducting core of
the earth, which has a circumference of approximately 1 wavelength at 10 Hz produced enormous
continuous electrical discharges at the 10 Hz frequency within the resonating cavity of the atmosphere.
In addition to the electrical energy available through this process, the discharges would also create heat,
ultraviolet radiation and shock waves, all of which would have contributed to the chemical reactions.
Within this atmosphere such events would have undoubtedly given rise to large amounts of structures
such as amino acids, and peptides. As these structures came together in the dense atmosphere,
polymerizing into proteins, and nucleic acids, the electromagnetic forces and their vectors within the
cavity were such that these long chain molecules would be formed with a preferred direction of rotation
(essentially single isomeric forms) and with a helical structure. In addition, the cavity would be
resonating at a sinusoidal frequency of about 10 Hz so that all structures formed would tend to be either
resonant at that frequency or demonstrate some other sensitivity to it.
It is interesting to note that this frequency appears in a number of biological systems. In the EEG
for example, the dominant frequency from the point of total energy is 10 Hz and the EEG patterns of all
animals with sufficient encephalization to demonstrate an EEG have basically similar patterns.
Recently, Thiermann and Jarzak have obtained actual experimental evidence in support of this theory.
They synthesized organic compounds in the presence of a steady-state magnetic field, producing
ELECTROMAGNETISM & LIFE - 48