Understanding the origin of life remains a central challenge at the interface of physics, chemistry, biology, and astrophysics. One fundamental energy source on the early Earth—ultraviolet solar radiation—has so far been considered only to a limited extent in research on the emergence of life. This is precisely where the UV LiFE research project comes in.

The goal of UV LiFE is to systematically clarify the role of UV light as a driving energy source in the emergence of biological functionality. The approach follows a novel photochemical perspective and investigates how, under prebiotic conditions, key building blocks of life such as nucleotides or amino acids can form and organize into functional structures.

Methodologically, the project combines prebiotic photochemistry with ultrafast pump–probe spectroscopy. In this way, previously unknown light-induced reaction pathways are identified and their underlying mechanisms are analyzed on molecular timescales. The focus is on processes that occur without biological catalysts yet can still lead to structural and functional complexity.

Beyond fundamental research, UV LiFE provides measurable physical parameters that are relevant for future space missions searching for extraterrestrial life. At the same time, the project contributes to a deeper understanding of light-driven processes that is also important for applied fields—for example, for further development of photodynamic cancer therapy or for strategies of UV-based virus inactivation.

Funded by: 

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