Abiogenesis is a process by which life arose from nonliving materials. It is distinct from evolution, which refers to the diversification of living species over time. Abiogenesis is concerned with the chemical and physical alterations that took place during the origin of life. These changes were due to forces such as temperature and pressure, as well as the interaction of molecules in primitive chemical mixtures. An important facet of abiogenesis is the development of metabolic reactions that could produce viable self-replicating molecules, leading to further complexity and the emergence of cellular structures.

See also: agi, emergence, origin of life, proto b, evolutionary computing