Prekursorien

Prekursorien are a theoretical class of primitive entities posited in discussions of early chemistry and evolution. The term, derived from the concept of predecessors and used in some European-language literatures, denotes forms that precede and potentially give rise to more complex biological or chemical structures. In origin-of-life research, prekursorien refer to the initial precursors that come before and may enable the emergence of protometabolic cycles, self-assembling membranes, or informational polymers.

These entities may be chemical, mineral, or hybrid in nature and are characterized by their simplicity and reactivity. They are envisioned as components that can interact to form networks of reactions, templates, or scaffolds that lower activation barriers for complexity. In various models, prekursorien can reside on mineral surfaces, in aqueous media, or in hydrothermal environments, acting as catalysts, templates, or energy-transducing units. Their roles are often described as enabling transitions from simple starting materials to more organized systems.

Despite their utility in thought experiments, prekursorien are not a single defined class with universal criteria. The term appears mainly in speculative or pedagogical writings and is not widely adopted as a formal category in mainstream origin-of-life research. Different authors propose different candidates and mechanisms, ranging from simple organic molecules to short oligomers and mineral-associated assemblies.

See also: origin of life, prebiotic chemistry, protocell, protometabolism.