Homochirality: A Prerequisite or Consequence of Life?

Many of the building blocks life such as amino acids and nucleotides are chiral, i.e., different from their mirror image. Contemporary selects synthesizes only one two possible handednesses. In an abiotic environment, however, there usually equally many left- right-handed molecules. If homochirality was a prerequisite life, must have been physical or chemical circumstances that led to selection certain preference. Conversely, if it consequence we identify pathways for accomplishing transition racemic homochiral chemistry. After discussion observational evidence, I will review ideas where any handedness could emerge first polymerization events in emerging RNA world. These mechanisms not limited nucleotides, but can also occur peptides, precursor The question is, this sense, intimately tied origin life. Future Mars missions may be able detect biomolecules extant extinct We therefore discuss experimental setups determining chirality primitive forms situ on Mars.