The Origins of Life: A Volcanic and Meteoric Mix
TL;DR
Iron particles from meteorites or volcanic ash could have acted as catalysts for the chemical reactions that formed the building blocks of life on Earth over four billion years ago, according to a new study. The experiments showed how iron could have converted carbon dioxide and hydrogen in the early Earth's atmosphere into hydrocarbons, including acetaldehyde and formaldehyde, which are among the building blocks of fatty acids, DNA nucleobases, sugars and amino acids. The findings widen the range of possibilities for how life may have formed on Earth and possibly increase the chances of it having formed elsewhere in the universe.
Topics:sciencescience-and-astronomy#catalysts#chemical-reactions#life-on-earth#meteorites#science-and-astronomy#volcanoes
- Meteorites and volcanoes may have helped jump-start life on Earth Space.com
- Mixing volcanic ash with meteorites may have jump-started life on Earth Popular Science
- Scientists narrow down the theory about the origins of life – volcanoes or meteors Cosmos
- A role for meteoritic iron in the emergence of life on Earth Phys.org
- Superflares from the Sun may have allowed life to flourish on Earth Interesting Engineering
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