Reply to Attn of:

National Aeronautics and AtY - LL /
Space Administration 5 ie 2D?) > Le NASA

Ames Research Center ap
Moffett Field, California 94035 ~~

LX: 239-11 August 8, 1983

Dr. Joshua Lederberg
1431 Pitman Avenue
Palo Alto, CA 94381

Dear Dr. Lederberg:

Enclosed are copies of some articles that you may find useful as
background material in writing a preface for the "Cosmic History"
report. I will be glad to try to answer any questions you may
have about these papers.

1. Wolman et al. (1972) compare amino acids found in Murchism
meteorite with those produced in a Miller-Urey experiment.
The qualitative similarities in composition are interesting
and most likely coincidental.

2. Miller et al. (1976) discuss the origin of organic matter in
meteorites, but they disregard any interstellar sources.

3. Bunch and Chang (1988) consider briefly the organic
chemistry of meteorites in the context of evidence for low
temperature hydrothermal activity on the parent bodies. The
processes that produced clays may also have synthesized
organic compounds or altered a pre-existing (interstellar ~
cometary) assemblage.

4. Lewis and Anders (1983) summarize the evidence in meteorites
for noble gases and carbonaceous grains of interstellar
origin. The connection between the least chemically active
elements and the most chemically versatile is especially
intriguing and probably diagnostic of the source regions and
production mechanisms for these elements.

5. Chang et al. (1983?) provides a recent review of the status
of prebiotic organic synthesis in light of developments in
planetology. A shorter version for geophysicists’ consump-
tion is also included.

6-8. Articles by Cairns-Smith, A. Weiss and H. Hartman provide an
alternative scenario for the origin of life that focuses on
the initial importance of inorganic rather than organic
chemistry.
On behalf of the Extraterrestrial Research Division I would like
to extend an open invitation to you to visit us. We will
accommodate your visit on any day that you find convenient during
your stay in Palo Alto. Just drop me a note or call me at (415)
965-6286, and I will make the arrangements.

Sincerely,

 

Sherwood Chang
Assistant Chief for Science and Technology
Extraterrestrial Research Division

Enclosures