  Understanding the origin(s) of life (OoL) is a fundamental challenge for
science in the 21st century. Research on OoL spans many disciplines, including
chemistry, physics, biology, planetary sciences, computer science, mathematics
and philosophy. The sheer number of different scientific perspectives relevant
to the problem has resulted in the coexistence of diverse tools, techniques,
data, and software in OoL studies. This has made communication between the
disciplines relevant to the OoL extremely difficult because the interpretation
of data, analyses, or standards of evidence can vary dramatically. Here, we
hope to bridge this wide field of study by providing common ground via the
consolidation of tools and techniques rather than positing a unifying view on
how life emerges. We review the common tools and techniques that have been used
significantly in OoL studies in recent years. In particular, we aim to identify
which information is most relevant for comparing and integrating the results of
experimental analyses into mathematical and computational models. This review
aims to provide a baseline expectation and understanding of technical aspects
of origins research, rather than being a primer on any particular topic. As
such, it spans broadly -- from analytical chemistry to mathematical models --
and highlights areas of future work that will benefit from a multidisciplinary
approach to tackling the mystery of life's origin. Ultimately, we hope to
empower a new generation of OoL scientists by reviewing how they can
investigate life's origin, rather than dictating how to think about the
problem.
