Urey and Miller

Experiment

By Belinda Douglas

Who are Urey and Miller? Stanley Miller and Harold Urey were two

scientists who conducted the ‘Urey and Miller Experiment in 1952.

Left: Harold Urey Right: Stanley Miller

What is the experiment ? The experiment was an early earth’s

atmosphere which contained lightening and gases to show how life on earth had began.

The Experiment

Reason ? The reason for the experiment was to test the

ideas of Oparin. And because the early Earth had a reducing

atmosphere. And to see how life on earth begun.

The results? Urey and Miller showed how gasses of an

anoxic environment, combined with electricity can form organic compounds and amino acids.

Urey and Miller simulated hypothetical conditions which would be present in early earth.

Importance of the experiment ? The Observation, speculation, observations,

hypothesis, testing of the hypothesis. Miller was testing the idea that biologically

interesting molecules could have been formed.

He demonstrated that it was possible.

Contribution ? The Urey and Miller experiment showed

confirmation that biological molecules could be formed from no biological processes.

It showed that the idea that life itself could have formed from no biological no magical processes on the early Earth.