Meteorite and volcanic particles may have driven origin of life on Earth: Study

Updated: May 26 2023 3:14PM

New Delhi, May 26 (PTI) Particles from meteors or volcanic eruptions on Earth around 4.4 billion years ago may have generated the precursors of the molecules needed for the origin of life on the planet, according to a study.

Previous research has suggested that the precursors of organic molecules—hydrocarbons, aldehydes and alcohols—may have been delivered by asteroids and comets or produced by reactions in the early Earth's atmosphere and oceans.

These reactions may have been promoted by energy from lightning, volcanic activity, or impacts. However a lack of data has meant that it is unclear what the predominant mechanism that produced these precursors was.

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