Tag

Early Earth

All articles tagged with #early earth

science3 days ago•7 min saved

Ancient Stromatolites Found in Crater Hint at Hydrothermal Cradle for Life

South Korean researchers report finding 10–20 cm stromatolites beneath the Jeokjung-Chogye Basin crater, formed by a ~42,000-year-old asteroid impact, in a hydrothermal lake environment that could have supported microbial life. Mineral signatures including europium indicate hot-water conditions, with radiocarbon dating placing formation between ~23,400 and ~14,600 years ago. The discovery suggests impact craters may have provided transient habitats that contributed to early Earth oxygenation, though more research is needed and similar craters should be studied.

via ScienceAlert|

#asteroid-impact #early-earth #hydrothermal

science21 days ago•50 min saved

Ancient Mo and W in Life: Foundational Biochemistry from 3.7 Billion Years Ago

A new study traces the deep-time origins of molybdenum and tungsten use in biology, reconstructing when Mo- and W-dependent enzymes, their cofactor biosynthesis, and transport systems first appeared. Molecular dating places Mo/W utilization back to the early Archaean (~3.7–3.1 billion years ago), suggesting that Mo-based biochemistry was already shaping early microbial evolution despite purportedly limited Mo availability in ancient oceans and highlighting the ancient link between Mo cofactors and nitrogenase-driven nitrogen fixation.

via Nature|

#early-earth #molybdenum #molybdoenzymes

science2 months ago•5 min saved

2.64-Billion-Year-Old Water Found in Canadian Mine Hints at Ancient Microbial Life

Geologists in the Kidd Creek Mine uncovered water dating to about 2.64 billion years ago—the oldest known on Earth—with chemical clues pointing to ancient microbial life. The sulfate present appears to be produced in place by rock–water reactions, and a scientist even tasted the water, finding it very salty and bitter, underscoring its long isolation and potential implications for life in extreme environments and on other worlds.

via Indian Defence Review|

#ancient-water #early-earth #geochemistry

science2 months ago•6 min saved

Earliest Plate Movements Traced in 3.5-Billion-Year Rocks

By studying magnetism in 3.5-billion-year-old rocks from the Pilbara Craton, researchers traced rapid early plate movement—about 24 degrees of latitude in 30 million years and peak speeds near 47 cm/year—indicating an early, segmented lithosphere and challenging stagnant-lid theories about Earth's first tectonics.

via Indian Defence Review|

#ancient-rocks #early-earth #magnetism

science2 months ago•5 min saved

Ancient zircons push plate tectonics to 3.3 billion years ago

New analyses of 3.3‑billion‑year‑old zircon crystals from Jack Hills in Western Australia suggest Earth already hosted more atmospheric oxygen (and possibly more water) than previously thought, and that tectonic plates may have been moving by about 3.3 billion years ago—implying early Earth had geologic processes that recycle key chemicals and could support life, though the findings are debated and require further verification.

via Nature|

#early-earth #jack-hills #oxygen-in-atmosphere

science3 months ago•5 min saved

Origins Reimagined: Life May Have Begun in a Primordial Gel

Researchers propose that life began in prebiotic gels—soft, structured matrices on early Earth that fostered chemical evolution toward protocells, via either phase separation or proto-films, within a protective, biofilm-like environment that shielded and shared resources. This gel-first view broadens the search for alien life to gel-based structures and challenges the traditional cell-first narrative.

via Indian Defence Review|

#abiogenesis #biofilms #early-earth

science3 months ago•4 min saved

Life May Have Begun in Sticky Prebiotic Gels

A new paper argues that life may have started within surface-attached, jelly-like gels on rocks, which could trap and organize reactive molecules, shield delicate chemistry from UV and heat, and support the emergence of metabolism and polymers before membrane-bound cells.

via ScienceAlert|

#early-earth #origin-of-life #prebiotic-chemistry

science4 months ago•4 min saved

Alaskan Meteorite Suggests Earth Formed Water Itself

Scientists studying the Alaska-caught enstatite chondrite meteorite LAR 12252 found hydrogen sulfide in its rock matrix, a result unlikely from contamination. This supports the idea that Earth’s water could have formed from native materials during its formation, challenging the long-standing view that water was delivered later by water-rich asteroids.

via The Daily Galaxy|

#early-earth #enstatite-chondrite #lar-12252

science5 months ago•14 min saved

Leading Chemist Reveals Life's 'Impossible' Problem Has a Scientific Solution

Chemist John Sutherland explains that life's origins are plausible through natural chemistry involving simple molecules like hydrogen cyanide, challenging the idea that life requires a miracle, and suggests that life could be common in the universe if the right chemical conditions are met.

via ZME Science|

#chemistry #early-earth #exoplanets

science5 months ago•6 min saved

Scientists Discover Earth's Oldest Common Ancestor, Redefining Life's Origins

Scientists have identified the last universal common ancestor (LUCA) of all life on Earth, dating it to around 4.2 billion years ago. LUCA was a complex, cellular organism that thrived in hot, oxygen-free environments using hydrogen-based metabolism and had early immune systems, indicating rapid evolution of life shortly after Earth's formation.

via The Brighter Side of News|

#early-earth #genome-reconstruction #luca

science5 months ago•3 min saved

New Findings Push Back the Origin of Life on Earth by Billions of Years

New research pushes back the timeline of LUCA, the last universal common ancestor, to about 4.2 billion years ago during Earth's Hadean Eon, suggesting life was active and evolving in extreme conditions much earlier than previously thought, with signs of primitive immune systems and environmental interaction.

via Indian Defence Review|

#early-earth #genetic-modeling #hadean-eon

science5 months ago•4 min saved

Early Earth's Deep Mantle Held More Water Than Previously Believed

New research indicates that during Earth's early molten phase, vast amounts of water were stored deep within the mantle, particularly in the mineral bridgmanite, which acted as a microscopic water reservoir. This hidden water played a crucial role in Earth's evolution, helping it transition from a fiery planet to a habitable world by facilitating internal circulation and surface water formation.

via SciTechDaily|

#bridgmanite #early-earth #earths-water

science7 months ago•4 min saved

Underwater Thermal Vents Likely Origin of Life's First Molecules

Scientists recreated ancient ocean conditions in the lab, demonstrating that natural gradients at hydrothermal vents could have driven the first chemical reactions of life, supporting the theory that life’s building blocks formed through inorganic processes powered by environmental energy, without the need for enzymes or organic molecules.

via Indian Defence Review|

#early-earth #hydrothermal-vents #inorganic-chemistry

science7 months ago•3 min saved

Scientists Reconsider Theories on Life's Origins

Scientists are revising their understanding of the emergence of genes and amino acids in early life, suggesting that the traditional model may underestimate the role of certain amino acids like tryptophan and the complexity of early genetic codes, which could have implications for searching for life on other planets like Saturn's moon Enceladus.

via Yahoo|

#amino-acids #astrobiology #early-earth

science7 months ago•3 min saved

Scientists Reconsider the Origin of Life

Scientists are reevaluating the order in which amino acids emerged in the origin of life, suggesting that early protolife may have included a broader range of amino acids than previously thought, which could reshape our understanding of life's beginnings on Earth and potentially elsewhere in the universe.

via Yahoo News Canada|

#amino-acids #astrobiology #early-earth