HOW LIFE CAME TO EARTH 183 



Later, such simple organic compounds, by 

 the agency of the same or some other colloid, 

 and with a supply of external energy, would 

 begin to condense and form more complex 

 organic molecules, and finally complexes of 

 inorganic and organic matter would come 

 into existence as crystallo-colloids. In this 

 way without any hiatus life would be led up 

 to, and inaugurated. 



The search for such an inorganic transformer 

 is not without a hopeful outlook. It is 

 already known that the element selenium 

 and other inorganic bodies, are affected by 

 light. The whole field of photography, as 

 well as many researches upon chemical 

 actions induced or hastened by light, encour- 

 ages the researchers who have already started 

 on this quest. It has been claimed by one 

 observer (Bach), that an organic compound 

 termed formaldehyde, usually regarded by 

 botanists as the first step in the synthesis of 

 sugars by the green plant, is formed artificially 

 when in the presence of sunlight, carbon- 

 dioxide is passed through a solution of a salt 

 of uranium. Traces of this organic body are 

 also stated by Fenton to be produced when 

 metallic magnesium is immersed in water 

 that has been saturated with carbon-dit 

 oxide. 



