Theoretical origin of life: delivery of parts by comet (Introduction)

by David Turell , Saturday, May 28, 2016, 01:17 (3101 days ago) @ David Turell

Glycine, an essential amino acid, has been found in the atmosphere around a comet. Now, with eternal hope, a paper proposes that comets delivered the ingredients for life to Earth:-http://phys.org/news/2016-05-comet-glycine-key-recipe-life.html-"Glycine, an organic compound contained in proteins, was found in the cloud around Comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko by the European Space Agency's probe, Rosetta, said the study in the journal Science Advances.-"The discovery was made using an instrument on the probe, called the Rosetta Orbiter Spectrometer for Ion and Neutral Analysis (ROSINA) mass spectrometer. -"This is the first unambiguous detection of glycine in the thin atmosphere of a comet," said lead author Kathrin Altwegg, principal investigator of the ROSINA instrument at the Center of Space and Habitability of the University of Bern.-"In addition to the simple amino acid glycine, the instrument also found phosphorus. The two are key components of DNA and cell membranes.-***-"'Demonstrating that comets are reservoirs of primitive material in the Solar System, and vessels that could have transported these vital ingredients to Earth, is one of the key goals of the Rosetta mission, and we are delighted with this result."-"Scientists have long debated the question of whether comets and asteroids brought the components of life to Earth by smashing into oceans on our planet.-"More than one hundred molecules have been detected on comets and in their dust and gas clouds, including many amino acids.-***-"However, the latest finding shows "they certainly had the potential to deliver life's ingredients," said a statement by the University of Bern." -Comment: Just because the ingredients are sitting on the kitchen counter, it doesn't mean the recipe gets cooked.