The Original Formation of Amino Acids 157 



electric discharges but also by the action of ultraviolet rays which were a far more 

 powerful source of energy. It would seem that these processes may have some 

 significance even now. We may suggest the possibility of the partial formation 

 of formaldehyde by irradiation of mixtures of CO and H2 or CO2 and water 

 vapour [5] with ultraviolet light. By means of further reactions of formaldehyde 

 with ammonium salts dissolved in water, in mist particles, raindrops etc in 

 ultraviolet rays, the formation of some amino acids, as demonstrated in our 

 experiments, could occur, together with the formation of many other organic 

 substances [i, 5]. 



The authors are deeply grateful to Academician A. I. Oparin for his con- 

 tinued interest in the work and for a number of valuable comments, and to 

 A. I. Grebennikova for help in carrying out some of the experiments. 



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