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The Miller Volcanic Spark Discharge Experiment
Adam P. Johnson,1 H. James Cleaves,2 Jason P. Dworkin,3 Daniel P. Glavin,3 Antonio Lazcano,4 Jeffrey L. Bada5*

Miller's 1950s experiments used, besides the apparatus known in textbooks, one that generated a hot water mist in the spark flask, simulating a water vapor-rich volcanic eruption. We found the original extracts of this experiment in Miller's material and reanalyzed them. The volcanic apparatus produced a wider variety of amino acids than the classic one. Release of reduced gases in volcanic eruptions accompanied by lightning could have been common on the early Earth. Prebotic compounds synthesized in these environments could have locally accumulated, where they could have undergone further processing.

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In 2008, a group of scientists examined 11 vials left over from Miller's experiments of the early 1950s. In addition to the classic experiment, reminiscent of Charles Darwin's envisioned "warm little pond", Miller had also performed more experiments, including one with conditions similar to those of volcanic eruptions. This experiment had a nozzle spraying a jet of steam at the spark discharge. By using high-performance liquid chromatography and mass spectrometry, the group found more organic molecules than Miller had. Interestingly, they found that the volcano-like experiment had produced the most organic molecules, 22 amino acids, 5 amines and many hydroxylated molecules, which could have been formed by hydroxyl radicals produced by the electrified steam. The group suggested that volcanic island systems became rich in organic molecules in this way, and that the presence of carbonyl sulfide there could have helped these molecules form peptides.[6][26]

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Science 17 October 2008

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More likely they're too busy marking papers to keep up to date with all the latest research. I saw that plenty of times in my undergrad years. It's a shame, but it doesn't necessarily mean they don't care, just that they don't have time.

Anyway. The paper doesn't mention where the carbon and nitrogen came from to produce the amines. Are we supposed to assume it came from the air?

Wait, nevermind. It's in the figure caption. Methane, ammonia, hydrogen gas, like a volcano.