Chirality and the Origins of Life

In this chapter, the authors introduce the concept of chirality, explain its significance in biology, and give detailed examples of chiral molecules and structures found in life and in the Universe. The homochirality (or molecular asymmetry) of life is discussed extensively and the current theories aiming to explain it are described, as its origin remains one of the most fundamental scientific questions today. Its importance in elucidating the origin of life itself, but also in the search for extra-terrestrial life, has made it a useful tool for astrobiology-focused space missions. This is the case for two missions from the European Space Agency that the authors focus on, one from the past and one from the future. These are Rosetta and ExoMars, two of the growing number of space exploration missions that delve into the molecular origins of life.