Detecting algae-like fossils in meteorites

British scientists have discovered algae-like fossils in meteorites that fell on Sri Lanka last year.

A meteorite exploded in the sky of Polonnaruwa city of Sri Lanka in December 2012. A few days later, debris from the meteorite was found and sent to the Sri Lankan Medical Research Institute. The initial analysis with a microscope showed signs of diatoms on meteorites.

Find evidence for the hypothesis that life on Earth originates from meteorites.

For an accurate conclusion, some meteorites were later sent to Cardiff University in Wales for further analysis. Scientists at Cardiff University also confirmed that these meteorite fragments could survive life, after they discovered algal-like fossil structures on meteorites.

Scientists at Cardiff University analyze meteorites in two steps. First, they confirmed that meteorite fragments contained algae-like fossils, then proceeded to find evidence to eliminate the possibility of meteorites and matter from Earth.

The team found that meteorites have very little nitrogen - components that almost always appear in modern living organizations on Earth. The result of oxygen isotope analysis also shows that meteorite fragments are completely free from "dirty" contamination.

This latest discovery is the clearest evidence that life on Earth began when a simple living organism meteorite fell on our planet billions of years ago. This also proves that life can exist anywhere in the universe.

There are many different theories about the origin of life on Earth. In addition to the life hypothesis originating from meteorites or comets, another theory holds that life on our planet evolved from inorganic elements from the period of the newly formed Earth. Another theory is that a group of aliens have sent meteors or spacecraft filled with organizations that live to Earth.