Günter Wächtershäuser proposes a theory of surface metabolism as the earliest form of life, characterized by autotrophic surface metabolists. These organisms lack enzymes, translation mechanisms, and nucleic acids but possess autocatalytic metabolism and inheritable information. They grow by anionically bonding to positively charged surfaces, such as pyrite, in hot water. The theory suggests that these surface metabolists evolve through two stages: the first stage involves semicellular organisms with lipid membranes and internal compartments, and the second stage leads to true cellular organisms. The thermodynamic equilibrium in surface metabolism favors synthesis over degradation, and high-energy phosphoanhydride groups serve as surface bonding agents. The theory contrasts with the prebiotic broth theory, which assumes the existence of organic building blocks, by positing that dissolved organic constituents are negligible and any loss of surface bonding is irreversible. The theory also discusses the chemical properties of surface metabolism, including strong surface bonding, thermodynamic and kinetic characteristics, and the evolution of biochemical pathways. It highlights the role of autocatalytic cycles and the importance of environmental changes in driving metabolic innovations and evolutionary adaptations.Günter Wächtershäuser proposes a theory of surface metabolism as the earliest form of life, characterized by autotrophic surface metabolists. These organisms lack enzymes, translation mechanisms, and nucleic acids but possess autocatalytic metabolism and inheritable information. They grow by anionically bonding to positively charged surfaces, such as pyrite, in hot water. The theory suggests that these surface metabolists evolve through two stages: the first stage involves semicellular organisms with lipid membranes and internal compartments, and the second stage leads to true cellular organisms. The thermodynamic equilibrium in surface metabolism favors synthesis over degradation, and high-energy phosphoanhydride groups serve as surface bonding agents. The theory contrasts with the prebiotic broth theory, which assumes the existence of organic building blocks, by positing that dissolved organic constituents are negligible and any loss of surface bonding is irreversible. The theory also discusses the chemical properties of surface metabolism, including strong surface bonding, thermodynamic and kinetic characteristics, and the evolution of biochemical pathways. It highlights the role of autocatalytic cycles and the importance of environmental changes in driving metabolic innovations and evolutionary adaptations.