It has been experimentally demonstrated that, under alkaline conditions, silica is able to induce the formation of mineral self-assembled inorganic-inorganic composite materials similar in morphology, texture and nanostructure to the hybrid biomineral structures that, millions of years later, life was able to self-organize. These mineral self-organized structures (MISOS) have been also shown to work as effective catalysts for prebiotic chemical reactions and to easily create compartmentalization within the solutions where they form. We reason that, during the very earliest history of this planet, there was a geochemical scenario that inevitably led to the existence of a large-scale factory of simple and complex organic compounds, many of which were relevant to prebiotic chemistry. The factory was built on a silica-rich high-pH ocean and powered by two main factors: a) a quasi-infinite source of simple carbon molecules synthesized abiotically from reactions associated with serpentinization, or transported from meteorites and produced from their impact on that alkaline ocean, and b) the formation of self-organized silica-metal mineral composites that catalyze the condensation of simple molecules in a methane-rich reduced atmosphere. We discuss the plausibility of this geochemical scenario, review the details of the formation of MISOS and its catalytic properties and the transition towards a slightly alkaline to neutral ocean.

实验证明，在碱性条件下，二氧化硅能够诱导形成矿物自组装无机-无机复合材料，其形态、质地和纳米结构类似于混合生物矿物结构，数百万年后，生命能够去自组织。这些矿物自组织结构 (MISOS) 也已被证明可作为益生元化学反应的有效催化剂，并在它们形成的溶液中轻松地产生分隔。我们推断，在地球最早的历史中，存在一种地球化学情景，不可避免地导致存在简单和复杂有机化合物的大型工厂，其中许多与益生元化学有关。该工厂建在富含二氧化硅的高 pH 值海洋上，并由两个主要因素提供动力：a) 简单碳分子的准无限来源，由与蛇纹石化相关的反应非生物合成，或从陨石运输并由它们对陨石的影响产生碱性海洋，和 b) 自组织二氧化硅-金属矿物复合材料的形成，该复合材料在富含甲烷的还原大气中催化简单分子的冷凝。我们讨论了这种地球化学情景的合理性，回顾了 MISOS 形成的细节及其催化特性以及向微碱性到中性海洋的过渡。或从陨石中运输并因它们对碱性海洋的影响而产生，以及 b) 自组织二氧化硅-金属矿物复合材料的形成，该复合材料在富含甲烷的还原大气中催化简单分子的冷凝。我们讨论了这种地球化学情景的合理性，回顾了 MISOS 形成的细节及其催化特性以及向微碱性到中性海洋的过渡。或从陨石中运输并因它们对碱性海洋的影响而产生，以及 b) 自组织二氧化硅-金属矿物复合材料的形成，该复合材料在富含甲烷的还原大气中催化简单分子的冷凝。我们讨论了这种地球化学情景的合理性，回顾了 MISOS 形成的细节及其催化特性以及向微碱性到中性海洋的过渡。