Introductory Note from the International 

 Union of Biochemistry 



The appearance of this book in both Russian and Enghsh marks the occasion of 

 the first international symposium organized under the auspices of the Inter- 

 national Union of Biochemistry. The arrangements for the Symposium were 

 made by the Academy of Sciences of the U.S.S.R. and the meeting was held in 

 Moscow from 19 to 24 August 1957. 



The topic which was chosen, 'The Origin of Life on the Earth', covers one 

 of the basic questions of natural science, and the participation of a large group 

 of biochemists in this Conference indicates both the interest that is now taken 

 by biochemists in this biological question and also the progress that is being made 

 in an approach to its solution in terms of the formation and origin of the 

 structural components and metaboUc systems of living matter. 



We are indebted to Mrs. Ann Synge for undertaking the translation of the 

 Russian contributions to the Symposium, and to Dr. R. L. M. Synge, f.r.s., 

 and Mr. F. Clark for editing the English edition. Finally, our thanks are due to 

 the Pergamon Press, who have imdertaken to publish this book as the first of a 

 numbered series of publications from the International Union of Biochemistry. 



M. Florkin 

 E. H. Stotz 

 R. H. S. Thompson 



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