Overview

• Lab experiments converted amino acids into pantetheine‑derived thioesters that transferred onto RNA in neutral water.
• Once attached, the RNA‑bound amino acids formed short peptides without ribosomes, indicating a plausible prebiotic step toward proteins.
• The pathway connects the RNA world and thioester world hypotheses and employs a thioester related to modern Coenzyme A.
• Authors and outside experts note the products are not sequence‑specific and that realistic concentrations likely occurred in ponds or lakes rather than the open ocean.
• The peer‑reviewed study appears in Nature and lists support from the EPSRC, the Simons Foundation, and the Royal Society.