30:T425,

Chirality refers to molecules being left-handed or right-handed. Just as your left and right hands are mirror images of each other, molecules can also have handedness based on their 3D structure.

This is important for life because many biological molecules, like amino acids and sugars, only function properly if they have a specific handedness. For example, all life on Earth uses left-handed amino acids to build proteins. If you tried to build a protein with right-handed amino acids, it would not fold into the correct 3D shape and would not function.

The origins of this preference for one handedness are still unclear. Here is a 20k RSC bounty for any ResearchHub user who can create a concise, but up-to-date narrative review with properly cited sources on the topic of why life requires chirality.

31:T425,

Chirality refers to molecules being left-handed or right-handed. Just as your left and right hands are mirror images of each other, molecules can also have handedness based on their 3D structure.

Question

Question

Why does life require chirality?