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A simulation of the origin of life.
Urey and Miller used an electric current in their experiment to simulate the effects of lightning in the early Earth's atmosphere. They wanted to see if the combination of gases found in the atmosphere at that time could produce organic compounds like amino acids, which are the building blocks of life.
Organic compounds will not form in the Miller-Urey apparatus if O2 is present because oxygen would react with the organic molecules produced, inhibiting the formation of more complex organic compounds. The early Earth's atmosphere was believed to be devoid of oxygen, which allowed for the formation of organic compounds in the Miller-Urey experiment.
The Miller-Urey experiment did not accurately simulate Earth's early atmosphere. Additionally, the experiment produced a mixture of organic compounds, not living organisms. Life is incredibly complex and likely required many more steps beyond what was demonstrated in the experiment.
In the Miller-Urey experiment, a high-energy source such as UV light or electric sparks could replace lightning to simulate the energy input needed for chemical reactions to occur. These energy sources can help drive the formation of simple organic compounds from inorganic molecules, similar to what may have happened on early Earth.