RT Journal Article
T1 On the Physical Basis of Asymmetry and Homochirality
A1 Cintas Moreno, Pedro
A1 Viedma Molero, Cristóbal
AB Mirror symmetry breaking is ubiquitous in our visible universe taking place in elementary particles, atoms, and molecules. Molecular chirality is not biogenic in itself, although its detection is often considered a biosignature, a conjecture inferred from the fact that we do not know life devoid of homochirality. The question of whether there is a connection between the cosmic preference for one enantiomer, as imposed by the weak force, and the single chirality displayed on Earth is vividly debated. This article gives a glimpse on the origin of asymmetry from a cosmological perspective and on physical transformations that lead to an enantiomeric imbalance, leaving chemical reactions essentially aside. These processes are more plausible as sources of prebiotic chirality than asymmetric amplifications requiring unnatural substrates and conditions and fighting against racemization. The latter may actually be a friend, not foe, and a driving force for enantioselection.
PB Wiley Online Library
SN 1520-636X
YR 2012
FD 2012-06-07
LK https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14352/43354
UL https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14352/43354
LA eng
NO Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación (MICINN)
NO Junta de Extremadura-Ayuda a Grupos Consolidados;
NO Unión Europea
DS Docta Complutense
RD 20 abr 2025