Current Events > 4.6 Billion year old Meteorite could reveal origin of life

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https://www.heritagedaily.com/2021/07/ancient-meteorite-found-in-england-could-reveal-the-origins-of-life-on-earth/139699

Spoilers: the Queen of England is the origin of all life on Earth, she's sure old enough

A 4.6-billion-year-old meteorite found in a field in Gloucestershire, England, is likely a remnant of cosmic debris left over from the birth of the solar system and could answer questions about how life began on Earth.
It was discovered by Derek Robson of the East Anglian Astrophysical Research Organisation (EAARO) in February 2021, after travelling more than 110 million miles from its primordial home between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter in the Asteroid Belt.
Now, scientists at Loughborough University are analysing the small charcoal-coloured space rock to determine its structure and composition in a bid to answer questions about the early Universe and possibly our own origins.
Along with colleagues from EAARO, researchers are using techniques such as electron microscopy to survey the surface morphology at the micron and nanometre scale; and vibrational spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction, which give detailed information about chemical structure, phase and polymorphism, crystallinity and molecular interactions, to determine the structure and composition.
So far, they have found that the incredibly delicate sample, which resembles loosely held-together concreted dust and particles, never underwent the violent cosmic collisions that most ancient space debris experienced as it smashed together to create the planets and moons of our solar system.
The internal structure is fragile and loosely bound, porous with fissures and cracks, said Shaun Fowler a specialist in optical and electron microscopy at the Loughborough Materials Characterisation Centre (LMCC).
It doesnt appear to have undergone thermal metamorphosis, which means its been sitting out there past Mars, untouched, since before any of the planets were created meaning we have the rare opportunity to examine a piece of our primordial past.
The bulk of the meteorite is comprised of minerals such as olivine and phyllosilicates, with other mineral inclusions called chondrules, which, for example, can be minerals such as magnetite or calcite.
But the composition is different to anything you would find here on Earth and potentially unlike any other meteorites weve found possibly containing some previously unknown chemistry or physical structure never before seen in other recorded samples.
The ancient rock is a rare example of a carbonaceous chondrite, a type of meteorite which often contains biological material. Fewer than 5% of meteorites which fall to Earth belong to this classification.
Identifying organic compounds would support the idea that early meteorites carried amino acids the building blocks of life to supply the Earths primordial soup where life first began.
Carbonaceous chondrites contain organic compounds including amino acids, which are found in all living things, said Director of Astrochemistry at EAARO Derek Robson who found the meteorite and who will soon join Loughborough University as an academic visitor for collaborative research.
Being able to identify and confirm the presence of such compounds from a material that existed before the Earth was born would be an important step towards understanding how life began.
Professor Sandie Dann, of the Chemistry Department in the School of Science, first worked with Derek in 1997 and has kept in touch with him regularly since.
She said: Its a scientific fairy-tale. First your friend tracks a meteorite, then finds it and then gifts a bit of this extra-terrestrial material to you to analyse.
At this stage, we have learned a good deal about it, but weve barely scratched the surface.
There is huge potential to learn about ourselves and our solar system its an amazing project to be part of.
Jason Williams, Managing Director of EAARO, added: One of EAAROs primary objectives is to open the doors of science and technology to those who may not get the opportunity.
Derek and I felt our new find could help us further these objectives by opening up research opportunities in meteoritical science.
We carefully chose Loughborough, along with University of Sheffield, a number of commercial partners, and a handful of overseas specialists to work with us on this exciting project as we continue to excite and inspire people young and old by promoting and encourage space research and STEM subjects to a wider community.

https://youtu.be/MRJjk5Ds4cM
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This is like the bold claims History channel shows say at the beginning to hook viewers and the experts end up wasting an hour of your time with nothing firm to reveal

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Returning_CEmen posted...

This is like the bold claims History channel shows say at the beginning to hook viewers and the experts end up wasting an hour of your time with nothing firm to reveal

hahahaha yes

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4.6billion year old earth was a molten hellscape, it's extremely unlikely there was life in any form.

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UnhndredDescole posted...

That's part of where "origin" comes from.

Primordial Earth.

When I see straight-up Graphite in some of my local rocks, I assume, it was a part of whatever life was going on in that period.
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We came here on that asteroid that killed the dinosaurs

CADE FOSTER posted...

We came here on that asteroid that killed the dinosaurs

That would be interesting

Aliens?

https://youtube.com/watch?v=LHVR485txX8

CADE FOSTER posted...

We came here on that asteroid that killed the dinosaurs

Nah, the aliens brought us here.

See on our original planet we polluted and caused so much damage to it it was inhabitable. The aliens gave us another chance, hoping we learned something from the experience.

In fact, the aliens redirected the asteroid that wiped out the dinosaurs. They tried a trial run, but the dinosaurs ate the volunteers.

So, after the asteroid impacted the Earth the aliens realized it'd be awhile before we could inhabit it. So they divided all of us and put us on multiple different planets in different galaxies. Then returned later to discover that there was an ice age. Not wanting to make another trip they just dumped us off and left us to our own devices.

That leaves only one question. How are our fellow brothers and sisters faring throughout the cosmos.

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UnhndredDescole posted...

That would be crazy wouldn't it?

I'm really not sure how that is not true.
Grafite is just Carbon, and Carbon is a sign of life.

In the mean time, we do have Stromatolites but there is a billion years difference in between.
Dinosaur fossils are babies compared to the rocks around here. I love it. Though we don't have a lot crystals per-say. The rocks are the crystals.. But we do have Herkimer Diamonds. Those are a lot younger then the other rocks I mentioned, expecting the Stromatolites.
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Who cares how we started, lets worry about not going extinct

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Strider102 posted...

Nah, the aliens brought us here.

See on our original planet we polluted and caused so much damage to it it was inhabitable. The aliens gave us another chance, hoping we learned something from the experience.

In fact, the aliens redirected the asteroid that wiped out the dinosaurs. They tried a trial run, but the dinosaurs ate the volunteers.

So, after the asteroid impacted the Earth the aliens realized it'd be awhile before we could inhabit it. So they divided all of us and put us on multiple different planets in different galaxies. Then returned later to discover that there was an ice age. Not wanting to make another trip they just dumped us off and left us to our own devices.

That leaves only one question. How are our fellow brothers and sisters faring throughout the cosmos.

I hope this is satire.

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Wait, there are actual amino acids on these things? I knew there were organic compounds but had no idea there were anything that complex

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Strider102 posted...

Nah, the aliens brought us here.

See on our original planet we polluted and caused so much damage to it it was inhabitable. The aliens gave us another chance, hoping we learned something from the experience.

In fact, the aliens redirected the asteroid that wiped out the dinosaurs. They tried a trial run, but the dinosaurs ate the volunteers.

So, after the asteroid impacted the Earth the aliens realized it'd be awhile before we could inhabit it. So they divided all of us and put us on multiple different planets in different galaxies. Then returned later to discover that there was an ice age. Not wanting to make another trip they just dumped us off and left us to our own devices.

That leaves only one question. How are our fellow brothers and sisters faring throughout the cosmos.

Bro, you should expand this into a story.

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i remember this valhalla update

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So us Earthicans may not actually be from here? My mind is a glass pane that is slowly shattering!

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Returning_CEmen posted...

This is like the bold claims History channel shows say at the beginning to hook viewers and the experts end up wasting an hour of your time with nothing firm to reveal

I used to watch that type of stuff all the time, then somebody broke those shows for me by saying, if this was really as groundbreaking as they make it out to be, why are they the only ones reporting it, and how did it take 7 seasons to get around to it?

Now thats all I can think of whenever some grand sounding theory is presented and I just lose interest.

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Lordgold666 posted...

i remember this valhalla update

True dat homie

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