All articles tagged with #earths origins
Scientists have discovered the Lost City, an ancient hydrothermal field beneath the Atlantic Ocean that may provide insights into the origins of life on Earth and potentially serve as a model for extraterrestrial life, while also raising concerns about environmental impacts from potential deep-sea mining.
Scientists have discovered strange underwater structures off the coast of New Zealand and in South Africa, shedding light on the early Earth's history and possibly the origins of life. Their research challenges the traditional understanding of early Earth's seismic activity and suggests that subduction zones, associated with explosive volcanic eruptions, may have played a crucial role in the formation of the planet and the creation of basic organic molecules, potentially sparking the flame of life itself.
Fragments of the asteroid 2024 BX1 that exploded over Germany have been confirmed to be rare aubrite meteorites, shedding light on Earth's origins as they are as old as the solar system itself. These meteorites, representing just 1% of known meteorites, offer a glimpse into the building blocks of the planets and could help in understanding Earth's past and safeguarding humanity's future. The asteroid's explosion also provides valuable insights into how small asteroids behave in Earth's atmosphere, aiding in predicting the behavior of larger objects and preparing for potential asteroid strikes.
Scientists have discovered microfossils in Australia dating back 1.75 billion years, providing evidence of photosynthesis occurring much earlier than previously thought. These findings shed light on the origins of life and the Great Oxidation Event, suggesting that photosynthetic organisms may have contributed to a significant increase in atmospheric oxygen levels around 2.4 billion years ago. The discovery extends the fossil record by at least 1.2 billion years and offers new insights into early Earth ecosystems, prompting researchers to further examine fossil cells worldwide to expand the geological record of oxygenic photosynthesizers and early ecosystems.
Scientists have discovered microfossils in Australia dating back 1.75 billion years, providing evidence of photosynthesis occurring much earlier than previously thought. These findings shed light on the origins of life and the Great Oxidation Event, when atmospheric oxygen levels surged around 2.4 billion years ago. The discovery extends the fossil record by at least 1.2 billion years and offers new insights into early Earth ecosystems. Researchers plan to further examine fossil cells worldwide to expand the geological record of photosynthesizers and early oxygenated ecosystems.
A sample of the asteroid Bennu, containing water and carbon, is on public display for the first time at the Museum of Natural History in Washington, DC. Scientists hope to determine if asteroids brought the building blocks of life to Earth. The sample was collected by NASA's Osiris-Rex mission in 2020 and returned to Earth in September 2023. Visitors at the museum are excited to see and take selfies with the tiny piece of rock, which offers insights into the origins of our planet.