Scientists have been hunting the source which kick-started life on Earth and as new theories keep on emerging, a new study has hinted that perhaps it was the cosmic dust which began life on our planet.
In the latest findings, scientists have suggested that the mystery of the origin of life on Earth will most probably be solved with the thorough investigation of cosmic dust.
Earlier theories suggested that life began on Earth from “prebiotic chemistry,” in which the formation of organic compounds took place, which then self-organised themselves till life developed.
The scientists noted that the rocks found on the surface of the Earth are deficient in reactive and soluble forms of the essential elements like phosphorus, sulfur, nitrogen and carbon, which were required for this prebiotic process.
In a paper published this year in the journal Nature Astronomy, the scientists noted that Earth has remained engaged in “fierce competition” for the limited reservoirs of such elements, which then raised questions about how life could have evolved in such conditions.
The most prominent theory has suggested that the ingredients necessary for life were delivered to Earth. However, the scientists were not able to explain how these materials reached the surface of the planet without getting spoiled.
Does the answer to the beginning of life on Earth lie in cosmic dust?
In the study published in Nature Astronomy, the scientists studied the fine-grained “cosmic dust” which is produced by the collisions of asteroids or the disintegration and vaporisation of comets when they move around in the solar system in space.
“In contrast to larger objects, the flux of cosmic dust to Earth is essentially constant on yearly timescales,” scientists wrote.
“Moreover, some fraction of cosmic dust grains pass relatively gently through the Earth’s atmosphere, thereby retaining a greater fraction of primitive” elements than large impactors do, they added.
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The team stated that this material is not considered in prebiotic theories because it spreads across a large area and hence becomes difficult to get noticed or harder to study.
However, normal sedimentary processes do form concentrated cosmic dust deposits on Earth.
“There are many planetary processes that can concentrate fine-grained materials from across large surface areas to form concentrated deposits,” the team said.
(With inputs from agencies)