Objective
The origin of life is a profound and experimentally challenging question, with an inherent bias for handed molecules at a chemical level. Homochirality, specifically the preference for left-handed (L-) amino acids in Earth's life, has inspired numerous studies. Meteorite samples provide evidence that this bias originated long before Earth's formation, tied to water-rich interstellar ices and circularly polarized starlight. Yet, we still lack a complete understanding of the chiral photon interaction with organic molecules under realistic astrophysical conditions where chiral species are embedded in an amorphous water-rich ice matrix.
Intriguingly, amino acids in highly aqueous-altered meteorites show more than 20% enrichment in L enantiomers, indicating hitherto undiscovered asymmetric amplification mechanisms during secondary alteration processes within parent celestial bodies. While extraerrestrial amino acids have been extensively studied, sugar monomers and aminonitriles are equally important, potentially serving as precursors to amino acids. Neglecting their chiral bias and the prospects of a possible chirality transfer or mutual chiral amplification mechanisms between amino acids and sugars represents a gap in current research.
The ICE-EEVOLVE project aims to unravel the journey of amorphous ice and chiral organics from molecular clouds to evolved planetary systems, exploring asymmetric chemical evolution influenced by circularly polarized starlight and alteration processes. This will be achieved through novel laboratory experiments on amorphous interstellar ices processed using synchrotron, laser, and hydrogen lamp sources, combined with enantioselective analyses of pristine extraterrestrial samples. Our research is guided by the idea that the co-evolutionary history of peptides and nucleic acids in biology is linked to the inherent chirality of their constituent monomers, possibly originating in presolar and Solar System (water-rich) bodies.
Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
- humanities history and archaeology history
- natural sciences biological sciences biochemistry biomolecules
- natural sciences physical sciences astronomy planetary sciences meteorites
- natural sciences physical sciences optics laser physics
- natural sciences physical sciences theoretical physics particle physics photons
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Keywords
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Programme(s)
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
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HORIZON.1.1 - European Research Council (ERC)
MAIN PROGRAMME
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Topic(s)
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Funding Scheme
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
HORIZON-ERC - HORIZON ERC Grants
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Call for proposal
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
(opens in new window) ERC-2024-COG
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Net EU financial contribution. The sum of money that the participant receives, deducted by the EU contribution to its linked third party. It considers the distribution of the EU financial contribution between direct beneficiaries of the project and other types of participants, like third-party participants.
75794 PARIS
France
The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.