One of the most challenging questions in basic biology and the history of evolution and life stems from the unknown origin of the first cells billions of years ago. Though many pieces of the puzzle have been put together, this origin story remains somewhat murky. But a team of researchers from the University of Cambridge believe they’ve accidentally stumbled on an answer, and a very compelling one at that.
This is a fascinating story. For a few more details about the process they used, see this article:
http://www.ex-christadelphians.com/2014/08/cambridge-university-study-reveals-how.html