Life on Earth may have originated from cosmic dust

Dust from space may have brought the ingredients for life to Earth. A new analysis using a computer model confirms this hypothesis. According to researchers from ETH Zurich, the results could reignite the debate about the origins of life.

The hypothesis that cosmic dust brought biologically relevant elements such as sulphur, phosphorus, carbon and nitrogen to Earth is not undisputed in science, according to a statement from the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich (ETH Zurich) on Wednesday.

One thing is clear: this dust is created in space, for example when asteroids collide. However, some researchers assume that this traffic jam is widespread and therefore only present in small quantities locally. To initiate and sustain the chemical reactions for the origin of life, these elements are needed in abundance.

To test the hypothesis, researchers at ETH Zurich now simulated the intrusion of cosmic dust in the first 500 million years of Earth’s history. This showed that wind, rain or rivers could have collected the cosmic dust over large areas and deposited it concentrated in certain places. According to the simulations, the elements could have accumulated in melt holes on ice sheets. The results have been published in the journal ‘Nature Astronomy’.

“This study will certainly spark a controversial scientific debate,” said study leader Craig Walton, the statement said. “And it will generate new ideas about the origins of life.”

Other researchers assume that meteorites may have brought the elements to Earth. However, Walton considers this theory unlikely. According to the researcher, a single meteorite provides the right substances, but not the necessary supplies. (saw/sda)