
Understanding the emergence and selection of nucleic acids under prebiotic conditions is central to origins-of-life research. We developed a stochastic simulation framework to test whether DNA can outcompete RNA under moderate hydrothermal conditions due to differential stability and polymerization. The model incorporates Fe²⁺-catalyzed degradation, clay-enhanced polymerization, and thermal gradients, simulating 100 independent trajectories of polymer dynamics. DNA fraction rises above 0.5 within ~6–7 days in most simulations, with stochastic variability reflecting natural prebiotic fluctuations. The findings provide quantitative support for DNA’s selection potential under hydrothermal conditions, bridging theory and experimentally testable predictions
| selected citations These citations are derived from selected sources. This is an alternative to the "Influence" indicator, which also reflects the overall/total impact of an article in the research community at large, based on the underlying citation network (diachronically). | 0 | |
| popularity This indicator reflects the "current" impact/attention (the "hype") of an article in the research community at large, based on the underlying citation network. | Average | |
| influence This indicator reflects the overall/total impact of an article in the research community at large, based on the underlying citation network (diachronically). | Average | |
| impulse This indicator reflects the initial momentum of an article directly after its publication, based on the underlying citation network. | Average |
