Originally Posted by mentor

I heard a new hypothesis the other day that speculated it started on the surfaces of mica, inbetween the flat layers. Mica is super abundant, and it's structure lends itself to forming a sort of template where molecules in solution are forced to interact in specific formations which could have greatly accelerated the formation of the complex molecules needed for life.

The idea is that the ooze was not in a puddle or sea, but in the very small gaps between layers of mica. (clay has also been considered a substrate for the early formation of these molecules).