Chemical evolution is the study of how the chemical elements and molecules necessary for life were created and distributed throughout the universe. This field examines the processes involved in the formation and evolution of complex molecules, such as amino acids and nucleotides, which are essential building blocks of life. Researchers in chemical evolution seek to understand how these molecules formed in the early Earth environment or were brought to Earth through interstellar dust and meteorites. By studying the chemical reactions and processes that lead to the formation of biological molecules, scientists hope to gain insight into the origins of life on Earth and the potential for life to exist elsewhere in the universe.