This time machine takes you back 4 billion years, when the first life emerged on earth. In the turbulent primordial soup of water, oxygen and organic compounds – such as simple proteins and sugars – the first single-celled organisms emerged, which developed into increasingly complex life forms over millions of years.

In the large sphere you can see the primordial soup swirling, with the first simple life forms here and there. The microscope lets you see the process up close, while you can experiment with the temperature, the amount of sunlight, oxygen and the pressure needed to bring the molecules together. But you will soon notice that life is capricious, that it is difficult to control the circumstances. Will you succeed in creating the optimal conditions for life on earth? Or will nature not be tamed?

Simulation

Below you can play around with the simulation that I built for the Origin of Life installation. But be aware: it requires lots of power from your machine. So if you’re on a battery at the moment, don’t keep it running for too long! If the simulation stutters, your device is not powerful enough to run this.

Hydrothermal vents

This simulation implements the “Hydrothermal vents” hypothesis, which is currently the most common assumption amidst scientists. It assumes that life originates from hot springs of water coming from the earth crust. Temperatures are between 100 and 120 degrees Celsius. This water is alkaline, with a pH of around 10. The sea water is ofcourse much cooler and slightly acidic, which starts a chemical reaction that produces the electricity needed for life to start.