Quantum Tunneling in Hot Prebiotic Conditions: A Hypothesis for the Origin of Life

This paper proposes a novel hypothesis for the origin of life based on quantum tunneling in hot prebiotic conditions. Unlike existing research focused on cold environments, this work suggests that thermal decomposition in early Earth's oceans (~50-100°C+) created reactive fragments that underwent quantum tunneling to form bonds. Cyclical processes created "configuration hysteresis" leading to proto-replicator stabilization. The hypothesis predicts that planetary-scale oceans (like Enceladus) are necessary for abiogenesis due to statistical requirements.