(NLDO) - New research shows that life on Earth not only originated from the universe, but also came from a terrible event.
According to Space.com, a research team from ETH Zurich (Sweden), Cambridge University, Oxford University, Open University (UK) and Bergen University (Norway) investigated to clarify whether fine-grained cosmic dust can provide answers about life on Earth.
Ancient cosmic dust streams, originating from catastrophic events, may have seeded life on ancient Earth - AI illustration: Anh Thu
The origin of life on Earth has long been a mystery. The most widely accepted theory is that the first life came from space, after studies showed that Earth's rocky composition was not sufficient to support life on its own.
But it is still unclear what form that life took to Earth and how it could have avoided being destroyed during the treacherous journey.
New research concludes that cosmic dust is the most likely candidate.
Writing in the scientific journal Nature Astronomy, the authors said the flow of cosmic dust reaching Earth is essentially constant on a yearly time scale, rather than erratic like large objects.
Furthermore, some cosmic dust particles pass through Earth's atmosphere relatively gently, thus retaining a larger fraction of the primordial elements than large impactors.
Although a plausible delivery mechanism, this material is rarely considered in prebiotic theories because it is spread over a large area, perhaps making it less noticeable or more difficult to study at sufficiently high concentrations.
Using astrophysical simulations and geological models, the team sought to quantify the flux and composition of cosmic dust that would have accumulated on Earth's surface during the first 500 million years after the Moon's formation, when Earth was materially stable.
This event is believed to have originated when the Mars-sized planet Theia collided with the early Earth, mixing up the materials and splitting into today's Earth and Moon.
These types of collisions were common during the formation of the solar system, so during this early period, Earth may have been bathed in 100 to 10,000 times more dust than it is today.
Fortunately, many of these dust particles came from collisions of celestial bodies containing the seeds necessary for life. And they found their way to the promised land to create the rich world we live in today.
In addition, the team's model also shows where traces of ancient cosmic dust can be found.
First of all, it is deep sea sediments but quite rare and hard to find.
More likely are desert and glacial regions, where this space material can make up more than 50% of the sediment. The highest concentrations, over 80%, would be in areas where glaciers are melting.
They will be found in structures called cryoconite holes in these icy regions, which are holes in the glacier surface that form when wind carries sediment into the glacier.
Antarctic-like ice sheets containing cryoconite deposits high in cosmic dust, along with preglacial lakes, appear to provide an excellent environment to support the early stages of life.
Source: https://nld.com.vn/hai-vat-the-vu-tru-va-cham-su-song-roi-tu-do-xuong-trai-dat-196240916113703098.htm
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