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Taking a closer look at a specific type of clay that is common in the shale around oil and gas reservoirs, Ho conducted computer simulations of the molecular interactions between layers of montmorillonite clay, water and hydrogen.

Layers of clay — bentonite and montmorillonite, to be specific — are found beneath the ground, interspersed between layers of bedrock.

El Hachemi Bouali, assistant professor of geosciences at Nevada State College, said it all comes down to clay — bentonite and montmorillonite, to be specific.

In analyzing these spectra, O. B. Toon, J. B. Pollack and I found that certain features seem best accounted for by montmorillonite and other kinds of clay.

In addition, we know that montmorillonite clays are a potent catalyst for combining amino acids into longer chain molecules resembling proteins.