We are doing radio astronomy to the same ends. We are also studying Titan, and comets and gathering interstellar meaterial for other angles. We are just plodding forward trying to figure out a chemical reaction that occurred on vast scales and time periods in complex environments to ultimately produce life. Lately there are proposals showing how stellar explosions and subsequent cosmic arrays altered the earth's environment. I think such far reaching connections would have been discounted in the 20th century. Radio astronomy has started turning up interesting molecules in the far reaches of space and as the detectors get more sophisticated that will continue to happen.

The straw men theories and proposals are useful to advance science as camps attempt to find experimental evidence to either confirm or deny them. Just the thought experiments about what is needed to help in either endeavor significantly advances and focuses the design for new tools to help in ferreting out the "truth." I think these are actually exciting times in this fledging field as the knowledge about prebiotic chemistry and interstellar chemistry is expanding exponentially.