Life on Earth could have originated from cosmic dust
Published: Wednesday, Feb 28th 2024, 13:01
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Dust from space could have brought the ingredients for life to Earth. A new analysis using a computer model confirms this hypothesis. According to the researchers at ETH Zurich, the results could reignite the debate about the origin of life.
The hypothesis that cosmic dust has brought biologically relevant elements such as sulphur, phosphorus, carbon and nitrogen to Earth is not undisputed in the scientific community, according to a press release issued by the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich (ETH Zurich) on Wednesday.
One thing is clear: this dust is created in space, for example when asteroids collide with each other. However, some researchers assume that this dust is scattered over a wide area and is therefore only present in small quantities locally. However, these elements are needed in abundance to start and maintain the chemical reactions required for the development of life.
Life from the ice
To test this hypothesis, the researchers at ETH Zurich have now simulated the input of cosmic dust in the first 500 million years of the Earth's history. This showed that wind, rain or rivers could have collected the cosmic dust over a large area and deposited it in a concentrated form at certain locations. According to the simulations, the elements could have accumulated in melt holes on ice sheets. The results were published in the journal "Nature Astronomy".
"This study is sure to spark controversial scientific debate," said study leader Craig Walton, according to the press release. "And it will generate new ideas about the origin of life."
Other researchers assume that meteorites could have brought the elements to Earth. However, Walton considers this theory to be unlikely. According to the researcher, a single meteorite provides the right substances, but not the necessary supply.
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