In a groundbreaking exploration of the origins of life, a team of chemists has leveraged blockchain technology to create a vast computer network known as the Network of Early Life (NOEL). While blockchain is traditionally associated with cryptocurrencies, the study, published on Jan. 24 in the journal Chem, demonstrates its potential to transcend financial applications. Led by Bartosz Grzybowsk of the Korea Institute for Basic Science and the Polish Academy of Sciences, the research sheds light on primitive forms of metabolism that might have emerged without the involvement of enzymes, challenging conventional wisdom.