Theoretical origin of life: from meteorites (Introduction)

by David Turell , Thursday, December 08, 2022, 16:03 (716 days ago) @ David Turell

Same old story known in the Murchison mee=teorite in Australia:

https://www.livescience.com/radioactive-meteorites-seeded-life-on-earth?utm_term=C3CFD6...

"A special type of radioactive meteorite could have seeded life on Earth, a new study found.

Carbonaceous chondrites, a type of radioactive meteorite chock full of water and organic compounds, produce energetic gamma rays that can drive the chemical reactions to synthesize amino acids — the building blocks of life — researchers discovered.

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"...the researchers mixed ammonia, methanol and formaldehyde into water in quantities similar to those found inside meteorites. Then, to see if the radioactive, gamma-ray producing elements such as aluminum-26 inside the meteorites could generate the heat needed for amino acid synthesis, the researchers irradiated their mixture with gamma rays from an analog isotope called cobalt-60.

"Sure enough, the scientists found that the gamma-ray bombardment caused a spike in the production of amino acids inside the solution. Higher gamma-ray production increased the rate of amino acid synthesis. Additionally, the researchers discovered that the proportions of lab-produced amino acids matched those found in the Murchison meteorite — a 2205-pound (100 kilograms) space rock that landed in Australia in 1969. Further analysis revealed that it would have taken anywhere from 1,000 to 100,000 years to produce the amino acid quantities found inside the Murchison meteorite."

Comment: the usual empty thoughtless hope for a quick start to life. Amino acids just lying around don't simply jump together to make life. The requirements are hopelessly complex