Dramatic collision with a neighboring planet could potentially explain the existence of life on Earth, according to recent findings
In a groundbreaking study published in the journal Science Advances on August 1, researchers have proposed that a Mars-sized protoplanet named Theia played a crucial role in shaping the early Earth and potentially delivering the key ingredients for life.
Theia, believed to have originated further out in the solar system than Earth, is described as volatile-rich, containing chemical compounds like hydrogen and carbon. This volatile-rich protoplanet is estimated to have collided with Earth approximately 4.5 billion years ago, providing Earth's volatiles, such as water and gases.
The collision of Theia with Earth is suggested to have carried necessary ingredients for life. Unrelated research to be published in the Nov. 15 issue of the journal Icarus suggests that Theia delivered a large amount of water to Earth, which is still visible in the Earth's mantle. This mantle water, a puzzle to geologists, is less dense than the materials typically found in the Earth's mantle.
The study used a chemical model to examine isotopes (element types) from meteorites and rocks on Earth. The team focused on the radioactive decay of an isotope of manganese, which decayed to chromium over several million years, to track the first 15 million years of Earth's formation.
During this period, protoplanet Earth and growing planets nearby (Mercury, Venus, Mars) underwent a rapid exchange of dust and gas through evaporation and condensation. This exchange process ceased after 3 million years due to the depletion of free matter by the first rocky planets and gas planets.
The simulation-based study suggests that Theia delivered much of the water in the mantle to the early Earth, and there hasn't been time for this water to reach the surface. The researchers' findings imply that life may be difficult to conjure on exoplanets that are similar to Earth, as Theia likely brought essential ingredients for life to our planet.
However, it is unclear what processes took place in Earth's history to make life possible and sustain it for several billion years. Klaus Mezger, a professor emeritus of geochemistry at the University of Bern, emphasised that this study sheds light on the early stages of Earth's formation but leaves many questions about the origin of life unanswered.
While the role of Theia in delivering volatiles to Earth is now better understood, the mystery of life's origins on our planet continues to intrigue scientists worldwide.
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