What was discovered?

Four very important steps for making living cells:

Phospholipids can form membranes which join together to make sacs (called "protocells") which might later be able to choose which molecules enter...

If the building blocks of nucleic acids enter the sac, they could join together to make molecules that can reproduce themselves and hold information. But a sugar and base can be made together so that they do not need to be joined by enzymes.

RNA can copy itself and work as an enzyme to increase the speed of chemical reactions.

The handedness of molecules in living cells (amino acids are left-handed but sugars and nucleotides are right-handed) can be explained by the handedness changing to all one form or the other when mixtures are frozen and melted again.

How?

Performing many biochemical experiments under the conditions thought to exist on Earth before life arose.

Why is it important?

You could say that since life DID arise, why should we wonder HOW it arose... but scientists are curious, and knowing the answers to how life began are certainly fascinating... wouldn't you like to know too?