Clays are widespread, easily available and low-cost chemical substances. Both in their native state and in numerous modified forms, clays are versatile materials that catalyze a variety of chemical reactions. Just as they can be molded into any shape, their micro structure can be changed to suit chemists' needs to promote diverse chemical reactions. It is convincingly argued that clays initiated, supported and sustained the process of formation of small molecules on the earth millions of years ago, which gradually developed into more complex molecules. In the course of time, there emerged from the latter the self replicating assemblies that evolved into simple life forms and progressed to the present elaborate living world of plants and animals