Life on Earth begins with volcanoes?

A series of recent studies revealed that life on Earth may have begun in the craters sprayed on the sea floor.

>>>Life on Earth comes from . clay?

Previously, some scientists have proposed that meteorites have brought living things to Earth. However, there is growing support for the hypothesis that life originates on Earth from places such as the seabed of hydrothermal vents and the formation of inanimate materials like those that exist. in natural and mineral gases.

Dr. Terry Kee of the University of Leeds (UK) said that before the biological life, the early Earth had only "geological life". He and his colleagues developed a new way of stimulating processes that may have triggered cell metabolism on Earth - an essential biological function for all forms of living organisms.

According to the team, fuel cells in cars produce electrical energy by reacting with fuels and oxidants. This is an example of an oxidation-reduction reaction (a molecule loses electrons, while a molecule receives more electrons).

Redox-oxidation reactions inside the seabed crater are thought to have triggered the formation of life on the early Earth.(Photo: Corbis)

Similarly, photosynthesis in plants involves producing electrical energy from reducing carbon dioxide to sugar and oxidizing water to molecular oxygen. And breathing in the cells in the human body is the oxidation of sugar into carbon dioxide and reducing oxygen into water, with the electrical energy generated in the reaction.

Certain geological environments, such as the seabed craters, can be considered "environmental fuel cells" , because electrical energy can be generated from oxidation - reduction between Hydrothermal fuels and oxidants in seawater, such as oxygen.

To demonstrate the concept of fuel cell model that triggers cell metabolism on Earth, Mr. Kee's team introduced traditional platinum catalysts into fuel cells and tests. electricity with components that make up geological minerals, like iron and nickel."Certain minerals can promote oxidative - reduction of geological reactions, then lead to biological metabolism," said Dr. Laura Barge, a member of the research team.

Iron and nickel, mineral components that are common on early Earth, are much less reactive than platinum. However, a small amount of electricity is sufficient to show that these metals can still produce electricity in fuel cells and thus also act as catalysts for oxidation-reduction reactions inside. Crater at the bottom of the sea The early Earth.

The work could help scientists identify whether life can be triggered in similar environments (with liquid water) on other planets, such as the former Mars or Europa Moon. of Jupiter, or not.