Scientists discover traces of life in meteorite fragments

The fall of meteorites is not such a rare fact on earth. However, it is very rare for anyone to remain intact to discover in more detail what is in space and the existence of life on other planets. Often these heavenly bodies become dust or disintegrate completely upon reaching our planet.

However, a meteorite that crashed last year in California left some fragments that were evaluated by scientists, and in these space rocks, some traces of life were discovered.

Organic compounds

According to the researchers, the Sutter`s Mill meteorite, which hit California soil in April 2012, contains organic compounds never seen before in this type of space rock. During their research, they were interested in finding specifically oxygen and sulfur containing organic molecules that are the building blocks of life.

For the tests, scientists dissolved the fragments under conditions that mimic the hydrothermal vents on Earth, a typical environment of early times when life could have arisen. After this treatment, the rocks released organic molecules that were never detected in similar meteorites. The results suggest that there are much more organic materials available in meteorites from planetary environments than scientists believed.

More specifically, dissolution of the samples under hydrothermal conditions revealed a multiplicity of these organic oxygen and sulfur-containing molecules. This is not definitive proof that there is life off Earth, but it will give scientists a better idea of ​​the origins of life on this planet.