Select the scientist who was able to form polypeptides from amino acids nonenzymatically without ribosomes
(a) Orgel
(b) Fox
(c) Urey
(d) Miller and Urey

Options

A. Orgel
B. Fox
C. Urey
D. Miller and Urey

Answer

To solve the question regarding which scientist was able to form polypeptides from amino acids nonenzymatically without ribosomes, we can follow these steps:

### Step-by-Step Solution:

1. **Understand the Question**: The question asks for a scientist who formed polypeptides (short chains of amino acids) from amino acids without the involvement of ribosomes or enzymes.

2. **Review the Options**: The options provided are:
- (a) Orgel
- (b) Fox
- (c) Urey
- (d) Miller and Urey

3. **Analyze Each Option**:
- **Option (a) Orgel**: Sidney Orgel is known for his work on the origins of life and the RNA world hypothesis, but he did not specifically synthesize polypeptides nonenzymatically.
- **Option (b) Fox**: Sidney W. Fox conducted experiments where he used thermal energy to synthesize polypeptides from amino acids, resulting in compounds known as proteinoids. This fits the criteria of the question.
- **Option (c) Urey**: Harold Urey is known for his work in isotopic chemistry and the Miller-Urey experiment, but he did not synthesize polypeptides.
- **Option (d) Miller and Urey**: They are famous for their experiment that simulated early Earth conditions to produce organic compounds but did not focus on the synthesis of polypeptides.

4. **Identify the Correct Answer**: Based on the analysis, the correct answer is **(b) Fox**. Sidney W. Fox successfully formed polypeptides from amino acids nonenzymatically using thermal energy.

5. **Final Conclusion**: The scientist who was able to form polypeptides from amino acids nonenzymatically without ribosomes is **Sidney W. Fox**.