Tag

Origins Of Life

All articles tagged with #origins of life

science15 days ago•6 min saved

Early metabolism reveals dual origins of life on Earth

Researchers mapped the full early metabolism network (420 reactions) and found that bacteria and archaea likely shifted to free-living cells independently, with LUCA possessing only about half of metabolic reactions while the rest were catalyzed by environmental metals; the study suggests a hybrid early metabolism combining metal catalysts and enzymes and proposes a pre-ATP energy source via phosphite reacting with palladium in hydrothermal-vent environments.

via ScienceDaily|

#archaea #bacteria #luca

science1 month ago•13 min saved

Mars as the Hidden Cradle of Life: Reassessing Viking and Earth’s Origins

An opinion piece argues that life on Mars is almost certain, revisiting Viking’s life‑detection results and explaining how the GCMS could have missed organics due to perchlorates; later findings of organics by Curiosity and evidence of interplanetary rock transfer bolster the case that Mars could have hosted life earlier and may have seeded Earth, urging exploration for Martian prebacteria to illuminate life’s origins.

via Kyiv Post|

#life-on-mars #mars #origins-of-life

science1 month ago•8 min saved

Hardiest Life: Microbes That Call Earth’s Most Extreme Places Home

Extremophiles—primarily bacteria and archaea—thrive in Earth’s hottest, coldest, saltiest, acidic, and high-pressure environments, from the Danakil Depression to deep-sea vents, offering insights into evolution, enabling industrial biotech and bioremediation, and guiding our search for life beyond Earth.

via Quanta Magazine|

#astrobiology #biotechnology #extremophiles

astronomy-and-astrophysics1 month ago•5 min saved

Cosmic sugar detected in interstellar space hints at life’s origins

Astronomers have detected erythrulose, a four-carbon sugar, in a molecular cloud near the Milky Way’s center, marking the first true sugar found in interstellar space and supporting ideas that complex organic molecules crucial to life can form in space and may have been delivered to early Earth via comets and meteorites.

via Nature|

#astronomy-and-astrophysics #erythrulose #interstellar-chemistry

science2 months ago•11 min saved

Sterile Dirt Hints at Life’s Metabolic Beginnings

A six-year study of irradiated, life-free soil shows ongoing CO2 release and oxygen consumption, plus measurable electron flow and Krebs-cycle intermediates, suggesting metal- and mineral-catalyzed, metabolism-like chemistry can occur outside living cells and may predate life; while these findings support a geology-driven view of metabolism, the possibility that residual enzymes could contribute cannot be completely ruled out.

via Quanta Magazine|

#cell-free-biology #geochemistry #metabolism

science5 months ago•6 min saved

Asteroids Harbor All Five Nucleobases, Advancing Space Chemistry Clues to Life’s Origins

New high-sensitivity analyses of asteroid samples confirm all five nucleobases (A, C, G, T, U) in Ryugu, adding to prior Bennu detections and resolving earlier Ryugu results. The finding reinforces the idea that space-based chemistry can produce nucleotides and informs potential prebiotic pathways, though it does not imply life, and contamination concerns are addressed. The study also notes a correlation between purine/pyrimidine levels and ammonia across asteroids, offering clues about the reactions that could occur in space and feed theories on how Earth's life's building blocks arrived.

via Ars Technica|

#asteroids #nucleobases #origins-of-life

science6 months ago•326 min saved

Large sulfur-bearing molecule found in space hints at cosmic roots of life

Astronomers have identified the largest sulfur-containing molecule ever seen in interstellar space—a 13-atom compound called 2,5-cyclohexadiene-1-thione—within a molecular cloud about 27,000 light-years from Earth. The discovery, made using radio telescopes IRAM-30m and Yebes and confirmed by a laboratory-synthesized radio fingerprint, fills a gap between simple space chemistry and the complex molecules tied to life. Researchers say sulfur-bearing molecules may be far more common in space than previously thought and could be delivered to early Earth via comets and meteorites, helping to bootstrap the chemistry that led to life. The finding suggests many more such sulfur-rich molecules could be detected in the future.

via CNN|

#astrochemistry #interstellar #origins-of-life

science8 months ago•3 min saved

NASA Finds Life-Related Organic Materials in Asteroid Bennu Samples

NASA's analysis of samples from asteroid Bennu revealed the presence of sugars and a unique 'space gum' substance, providing insights into the building blocks of life and the early solar system's formation, which could have played a role in the origin of life on Earth.

via CBS News|

#asteroid-bennu #nasa #origins-of-life

science1 year ago•3 min saved

Research Questions Key Theory on Life's Origins

New research challenges the long-held belief that a specific protein motif was the fundamental building block of early life, suggesting it is just one of many possible structures and reshaping our understanding of protein evolution and the origins of life.

via SciTechDaily|

#biotechnology #early-life #origins-of-life

science2 years ago•5 min saved

"Ancient Crystals Unveil Earth's First Fresh Water Evidence"

A study of ancient zircon crystals from the Australian outback reveals that Earth had dry land and fresh water 4 billion years ago, challenging the belief that the planet was entirely ocean-covered at that time. This discovery suggests that the conditions necessary for life existed much earlier than previously thought, providing new insights into Earth's early history and the origins of life.

via CNN|

#ancient-crystals #dry-land #fresh-water

science2 years ago•5 min saved

"Deciphering RNA's Ancient Code: Unveiling Life's Secrets"

Scientists at the Salk Institute have discovered an RNA enzyme that can accurately replicate and evolve RNA strands, providing strong evidence for the RNA World hypothesis and shedding light on the origins and complexity of life. This breakthrough brings researchers closer to synthesizing RNA-based life in the laboratory, offering insights into early evolution and the potential for autonomous RNA life. The study underscores the critical role of replication fidelity in enabling evolution and paves the way for future experiments testing other ideas about the origins of life.

via SciTechDaily|

#evolution #molecular-biology #origins-of-life

space-science2 years ago•2 min saved

"NASA's Webb Uncovers Icy Ingredients and Organic Molecules in Space"

Researchers at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa have synthesized glyceric acid, a critical molecule for the metabolism of living organisms, for the first time in low-temperature conditions mimicking deep space. This discovery sheds light on the potential formation of important biomolecules in interstellar ices and their possible role in the development of life on planets like Earth. The study suggests that molecules like glyceric acid could have been synthesized in molecular clouds and star forming regions before being delivered to Earth via comets or meteorites, contributing to the building blocks of life. The findings provide valuable insights into the origins of life and the interconnected chemistry of our bodies with the chemistry of space.

via Phys.org|

#astrochemistry #glyceric-acid #interstellar-chemistry

science2 years ago•5 min saved

"Uncovering the RNA World: Modeling the Origins of Life"

New research at the Salk Institute provides compelling evidence supporting the RNA World hypothesis, suggesting that the origins of life may have involved molecular-scale evolution in RNA. The study unveils an RNA enzyme capable of making accurate copies of other functional RNA strands and allowing new variants to emerge over time, bringing scientists closer to re-creating RNA-based life in the laboratory. The findings highlight the critical importance of replication fidelity in making evolution possible and pave the way for future experiments testing other ideas about the origins of life.

via Phys.org|

#evolution #molecular-biology #origins-of-life

science2 years ago•1 min saved

"Unlikely Origins: Formaldehyde's Role in Ancient Life on Mars"

Scientists from Tohoku University have suggested that the origins of life on Mars could be linked to the presence of atmospheric formaldehyde, which could have led to the formation of biomolecules when the planet had liquid water. Their study, published in Scientific Reports, used a computer model to simulate Mars' conditions and concluded that the atmosphere likely contained formaldehyde due to the presence of carbon dioxide, hydrogen, and carbon monoxide. This research provides encouraging signs for the potential existence of past life on the Red Planet.

via indy100|

#mars #organic-molecules #origins-of-life

science2 years ago•1 min saved

"Formaldehyde's Role in Ancient Martian Life Uncovered"

Scientists from Tohoku University have suggested that the origins of life on Mars could be linked to the presence of atmospheric formaldehyde, which could have led to the formation of biomolecules when the planet had liquid water. Their study, published in Scientific Reports, used a computer model to simulate Mars' conditions and concluded that the presence of carbon dioxide, hydrogen, and carbon monoxide in the atmosphere could have facilitated the formation of organic compounds. This research provides encouraging signs for the potential existence of past life on the Red Planet.

via indy100|

#mars #organic-molecules #origins-of-life