abiogenesis
noun
abio·gen·e·sis
| \ ˌā-ˌbī-ō-ˈje-nə-səs
\
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Definition of abiogenesis
: the origin of life from nonliving matter
specifically
: a theory in the evolution of early life on earth : organic molecules and subsequent simple life forms first originated from inorganic substances
According to the conventional hypothesis, the earliest living cells emerged as a result of chemical evolution on our planet billions of years ago in a process called abiogenesis. — David Warmflash et al.