Life began on Mars before it arrived on Earth, sustains a major scientific conference, according to bbc.co.uk. According to new research, the Red Planet would have had conditions to support life much better than the Earth several billions of years ago. The evidence is based on how the first molecules needed for life were assembled. Details of the theory were presented by Prof. Steven Benner at the Goldschmidt Meeting in Florence, Italy.
Scientists have long wondered how atoms came to form for the first time the three crucial molecular components of living organisms: RNA, DNA, and proteins. Molecules – combined to form genetic material – are much more complex than the pre-biotic precious organic soup consisting of organic (carbon-based) chemicals that are supposed to have existed on Earth more than three billion years, and RNA (ribonucleic acid) is believed to have been the first to “start the” life on Earth.
Earth and the Moon as viewed from Mars 205 million kilometres / 127 million miles away (MRO; HiRISE; November 20, 2016).The idea that life first appeared on Mars and was then “transported” to Earth through meteorites was also sustained before. But Professor Steven Benner of the Westheimer Institute of Science and Technology in Gainesville added the US This theory is another turning point of the Martian origin of the land biosphere.
Steven Albert BennerIn Florence, Professor Benner presented results suggesting that minerals containing boron and molybdenum are key to assembling atoms into molecules that gave birth to life. The scientist argues that boron helps carbohydrate rings form pre-biotic chemicals so that the molybdenum takes the intermediate molecule and rearranges it to form the ribosomes and hence the RNA.
This theory raises the issue of how life began on Earth since the Earth was an unfavourable environment for the formation of the necessary minerals of boron and molybdenum.
It is believed that the boron minerals required to form RNA from the pre-biotic soup were not present in the past in sufficient quantities in the past, and the molybdenum minerals did not exist on the Earth in the correct chemical form.
Professor Benner explained that only when molybdenum became highly oxidized was able to influence the formation of early life. But this form of molybdenum could not exist on our early planet because three billion years ago the Earth was receiving very little oxygen, instead, Mars had oxygen. This is still evidence of the fact that life came to Earth through a meteorite coming from Mars and that life did not start directly on Earth.
Mars had a stable soil 4.5 billion years ago, when the Earth still recovered after the impact that led to the formation of the Moon. It is obvious that in such conditions, the origins of life on Earth may be martians, says Jay Melosh, a scientist at the University of Arizona.
Also, the latest NASA expert conclusions are clear. Martian conditions in the past have allowed life to exist, and the evidence is clear, the New York Times writes.
Mars is very attractive from the perspective of a planet that could sustain life. And we’re not just referring to the Gale crater, but many places on the entire planet, says Dr. Grotzinger to the New York Times.
Moreover, according to the scientist at the Westheimer Institute of Science and Technology in Gainesville, Florida, these life-friendly conditions exist even now on Mars.
“The oxidized form of molybdenum could not exist on Earth when life came out. Three billion years ago, on Earth, there was very little oxygen, but on Mars, there was more, “says Steven.
The hypothesis promoted by Banner solves a paradox that has been confusing for scientists for years. They did not succeed in creating life forms using organic matter and heat or light, that is, reproducing the conditions existing in the distant past on Earth, writes Daily Mail. Instead of turning into life forms, these compounds change into something similar to oil or asphalt, and so far the scientists had no explanation. Recent analyses of meteorites on Mars have demonstrated the existence of a chemical element called boron.
Steven thinks they will find there an oxidized form of molybdenum. In addition, on Earth, the first life forms would have been covered by water, and water destroys RNA, which is the first genetic molecule to exist.
Instead, there is less water on Mars than on the Earth a few billion years ago.
“We have proof that we are all Martians. Life appeared on Mars and came to Earth on a piece of rock, “says Steven.
However, the Earth was the ideal planet for the maintenance and evolution of life, the geochemist explains.
Electron microscope images of the ALH84001 meteorite from Mars. These bacteria-like fossils were discovered in 1996 and it’s still unknown if it is, in fact, a proof of extraterrestrial life.Recent scientists have learned that the Martian meteorites found on Earth are 4 billion years younger than initially estimated, so Mars could still be a geologically active planet. So far, 100 meteorites have been discovered from Mars. Some are 200 million years old, others only 20 million years old.
“The evidence leads us to think we’re all Martians. Life started on Mars and an asteroid brought it to Earth. It is a good fortune that today we are here, but it seems that Earth was a better place for everything that means life. “Says Benner.
The specialist brings the hypothesis of panspermia. Panspermia “seeds” is a hypothesis that the life that exists in the Universe is spreading through meteorites, asteroids, and planets. Panspermia states that life seeds exist everywhere in the Universe and that life on Earth (or elsewhere) began when these seeds arrived here, possibly brought by a small heavenly body. Similar research is made if life on Earth can be further propagated into the Universe by the same method. But let’s not forget, like all that cannot yet be proved, is at the moment, just a theory. For more insights about this topic watch the following videos:
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