Abiogenesis

A common ancestral cell that diverges into two lineages of bacteria and archaea in a hydrothermal environment

All known life shares a single origin – but the independent cell may have been born twice

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Reconstruction of about 420 metabolic reactions suggests that the common ancestor of bacteria and archaea still relied on metals in its environment. According to the researchers, the two lineages separately evolved the enzymes that allowed them to exist as independent cells
Combined structures of fatty acids and oligomers that may form cell-like compartments

Cooperation between simple molecules may explain how the first cells formed

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Researchers at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem have linked fatty acids to hydroxy acids, resulting in membrane-like structures that assemble easily and survive longer in water. The findings suggest a possible mechanism for the transition from dormant chemistry to pre-living systems.
Hot springs within the ocean, 4.2 billion year old bacteria were discovered in these environments. From Wikipedia

The first historical model for the formation of life received a significant boost

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After the division of the simple model cell, one of the daughter cells inherits only one type of lipid (red) and most of the protein fragments (blue), while the other daughter cell inherits two types of lipids (red and green). Image: See link to the source of the image at the end of the article

New insights into the mechanism of cell division

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Miller-Ury experiment diagram from Wikipedia

The ancient soup is ready to serve

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