Did comets seed life on Earth? A new study says — probably not
Did comets seed life on Earth? It's unlikely, a new study from the University of Cambridge says. It would have been a very rare occurrence. The post Did comets seed life on Earth? A new study says — probably not first appeared on EarthSky .
For over a century, scientists have believed that comets delivered the seeds of life to Earth, providing the organic molecules necessary for the emergence of living organisms. However, a new study from the University of Cambridge suggests that this long-standing theory is probably incorrect.
The researchers, led by Richard Anslow from the University of Cambridge's Institute of Astronomy, have created a computer model to investigate the feasibility of comets delivering life-seeding molecules to Earth. Their findings indicate that the comets would approach Earth too fast and at too sharp an angle to effectively seed life.
Moreover, the organic molecules present in comets are highly fragile and would likely vaporize upon impact with Earth's atmosphere or surface. While there is a possibility that these molecules could survive impacts on Mars, the likelihood of this occurring on Earth is considered extremely unlikely.
The researchers also considered the possibility of comets slowing down through interactions with other planets in the solar system, allowing them to deliver life-related molecules to Earth. However, even this scenario is deemed rare, as the chances of comets delivering enough organic molecules to kickstart life are still slim.
Furthermore, the study highlights the fact that comet impacts on Earth have declined significantly since the first 500 million years of the solar system's formation. This decline in impact rates further reduces the likelihood of comets delivering the necessary organic molecules to seed life on Earth.
In conclusion, the new study by the University of Cambridge suggests that comets were probably not responsible for seeding life on Earth. The researchers propose that any organic molecules delivered by comets were likely a one-off event, rather than an ongoing process. This challenges the long-standing belief in the life-seeding role of comets and indicates that this scenario was an exceedingly rare occurrence, if it happened at all.
Written by urgent.news from EarthSky's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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