Objects from outer space, known as “meteorites” are bodies that travel great distances and end up having an impact on our planet. Hearing about these particular elements, one might think that it is something simple and very discreet. But when you go deeper into the subject, the mysteries it conceals are surprising.
The building blocks of life Where are they found?
In general, the compounds that make up the basic organisms are carbon, oxygen, hydrogen and nitrogen. They are commonly found in the earth’s crust, but recent studies have shown that they can also be found in outer space. This discovery was very surprising, controversial and, above all, quite disturbing.
It is true that getting a meteorite on earth can be a bit difficult, because more than half disintegrates when it enters the atmosphere. However, it was possible to find these objects which, when investigated, yielded somewhat inconclusive results.
One of the most significant discoveries about meteorites
The strangest thing about this case is that meteorites have been studied for many years. Some have already been observed basic ingredients to sustain life, but they weren’t enoughMoreover, they did not have the ideal structure.
The people in charge of carrying out the investigations were an international team from NASA. Those who have come to the conclusion that asteroids are capable of producing certain components to create life. Which may have ended up on the surface of the earth due to a great impact.
It seems that certain genetic parts could have contributed to the development of molecules on the primitive Earth.
The most recent analyzes
Scientists who examined the Space Stones carefully searched for extraterrestrial samples, but only found 3 out of 5 articles. Finally, after many exhaustive analyses, the scientists were able to move forward with their discovery.
The last space rocks that hit Earth in the last century had the 5 bases that preserve information in DNA and RNA. They are called “nitrogenous bases”, composed of: Adenine, Guanine, Uracil, Thymine and Cytosine.
all these elements bind to carbohydrates and phosphorus to create the genetic code. It’s a bit intimidating to think that a simple stone from outer space can bring life. In fact, early scientists were stunned when they discovered the compounds of meteorites in their later studies.
Conceptual image of meteoroids supplying nucleobases to ancient Earth. Credit: NASA
What does this great discovery indicate?
The hypotheses that arose after this discovery were numerous. Most are based on the fact that this may be proof that Those Who Started Life On Earth Were Space Beings. But is this theory correct? The answer is a complete riddle that has not been solved.
Danny Galvin, the contributor to the article titled “NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center”, mentioned that these particles may have been present on Earth when life began. The question is, if this is true, So why haven’t these compounds been found in other meteorites? The answer is simple.
Previous scientific studies
The method used by scientists a few years ago it was completely different from the current procedure. It turns out that cytosine and thymine are two very delicate elements, when the researchers extracted samples, they put them in a hot bath. They called him “meteorite tea”in order to extract the molecules.
When the molecules were separated from the rock, all the elements were analyzed, at this point, cytosine and thymine had already disappeared for its sensitivity.
Meteorites in water extracts are studied
Finally, the researchers also applied this method, but in a somewhat innovative way. In doing so, they were able to observe that the 5 compounds at the base of life on Earth were obviously found.
The researchers examined material from three meteorites: one that fell in 1950 near the town of Murray in the US state of Kentucky, one that fell in 1969 near the town of Murchison in the Australian state of Victoria and one that fell in 2000. near Lake Tagish in the Canadian province of British Columbia.
All three meteorites contain a very complex mixture of organic molecules, most of which have yet to be identified.
What could have contributed to the discovery of objects that had escaped previous investigations? The contributing factor to the discovery was that the procedure was done in cold waterthey did not use formic acid warm. The component that may have ended up destroying some important molecules.
You might also be interested in: A space object is said to have led to the decline of an indigenous culture 1,500 years ago.
On the other hand, more sensitive analyzes have also been used in order to detect a certain amount of thymine and cytosine in meteorites.
However, much remains to be studied. As the astrochemist explains Yasuhiro Oba from the Institute of Low Temperature Science at Hokkaido University in Japan, lead author of the study: “Current findings may not directly shed light on the origin of life on Earth, but I think they can improve our understanding of the molecular inventory of organic organisms on early Earth before life began.
The research results were published in the scientific journal Nature Communication.
References: Very Interesting / Science Plus / Science Alert.
A Mystery Science publication. All rights reserved. – Redistribution and rebroadcasting of this content without prior permission is expressly prohibited. Site protected by Safe Creative.
Thanks for reading us. We invite you to follow us on our Facebook, to be aware of all the news that we publish daily. You can also join our community at Telegram. We are waiting for you!