Prof. García-Ruiz Delivers Plenary Lecture on Hadean Protoworlds at the GE3C Symposium 2026

The closing day of the XXXII GE3C Symposium will open with a plenary lecture by Juan Manuel García-Ruiz, Ikerbasque Professor at the Donostia International Physics Center (DIPC). Titled “The Role of Silica in the Setting of Hadean Protoworlds”, the lecture will take place on Friday, January 16, from 9:00 to 10:00, setting the scientific stage for the symposium’s final day.

In his talk, Prof. García-Ruiz will explore the central role of silica in the early Earth and its influence on the emergence of prebiotic chemistry and protocellular structures. Drawing on experimental and theoretical work, from revisiting the Miller Urey experiment to studying biomimetic mineral systems and extraterrestrial materials such as asteroid Bennu, he will present a geochemical framework in which life’s molecular building blocks and protocells may have coexisted on the Hadean Earth and potentially on other planetary bodies across the solar system.

Following the plenary lecture, a poster session will take place, in which Prof. García-Ruiz will also participate, presenting recent research conducted in collaboration with Mr. Roberto Incerti (University of Naples) and Dr. Christian Jenewein. The poster, entitled “Microlightning as a Potential Driver for Prebiotic Chemistry: Theoretical Design of a Miller-Type Nebulizer Reactor”, investigates how microlightning in charged microdroplets, combined with silica-rich surfaces, could provide a continuous and efficient energy source for prebiotic chemical synthesis. The work reflects the results of the research made by Mr. Incerti during his Erasmus Master’s internship carried out at  DIPC -Prof. García-Ruiz Lab- and supervised by Dr. Jenewin and Prof. García-Ruiz.