Asteroid Impacts and Life on Earth

In summary: Scientists say when asteroids showered on Earth they were the ones who brought water to Earth which started life. But how did few molecules of water started life on earth?The origin of life may have begun in deep sea vents, where organic materials and energy from the sun interact to create simple molecules.
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Anonymous 69
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Scientists say when asteroids showered on Earth they were the ones who brought water to Earth which started life. But how did few molecules of water started life on earth?
 
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Nobody knows.
It's called abiogenesis.
Here is a link to the wiki page: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abiogenesis

One presumed step in the process is the creation of organic molecules from inorganic materials: rocks, water, and gases.

Perhaps the real trick is to go from there to an organic molecule (or system) that can self-replicate and mutate in any natural prebiotic environment. I don't believe anyone has discovered that trick.
 
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Anonymous 69 said:
Scientists say when asteroids showered on Earth they were the ones who brought water to Earth which started life. But how did few molecules of water started life on earth?

They didn't bring a "few" molecules, they brought more than 1018 metric tons. The reason this is important to life is because water forms a medium in which an enormous range of chemicals can mix together, which in turn allows thousands of different chemical reactions to occur. In addition, water's polar properties (meaning one side of it is charged negative and the other side is positive) cause the folding of certain molecules we call proteins and provides a mechanism for the construction of cell membranes. All of these things are requirements for all known life.
 
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I wish to offer speculations that

1) the first cells had no lipid membranes, but only proteinaceous walls vaguely like the outer layers of prokaryotes and viruses... This hypothesis affords you the option of getting started with only RNA and protein.

2) TRNA. Binds amino acids. On to the rybose opposite the nucleobase [2a]. This suggests that an early RNA strand could have used ribose as the translator intermediate with all of the nucleobases on one side of the backbone, templating for all of the amino acids on the other. Indeed [2b], only the pyrimidines U,C have known prebiotic precursors. So possibly the first RNA strands were purely Pyramidine based. And so had no self binding. Or double Helix forming structural. Capabilities. A pure pyrimidine RNA strand would remain single stranded And linear, an ideal template for amino acid. Linkage.

[2a] https://www.atdbio.com/img/articles/protein-synthesis-tRNA-large.png
[2b] http://astrobiology.com/2018/12/life-has-a-new-ingredient.html
 
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Anonymous 69 said:
Scientists say when asteroids showered on Earth they were the ones who brought water to Earth which started life. But how did few molecules of water started life on earth?

As well as water 1000s of organics in the form of meteorites fall to Earth every year, some of these organics contain amino acids alcohols and bases already formed

This one fell 1969 and has been studied intensively since, the fragments when collect weighed over 100kg

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Murchison_meteorite

I would google deep sea vents as a starting point for first proto cells

https://www.livescience.com/26173-hydrothermal-vent-life-origins.html
 
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1. How often do asteroids impact Earth?

Asteroids impact Earth on a daily basis, but the vast majority of them are small and burn up in the atmosphere before reaching the ground. Significant impacts, such as the one believed to have killed the dinosaurs, occur much less frequently, with an estimated rate of one every 100,000 years.

2. Can asteroid impacts cause mass extinctions?

Yes, asteroid impacts have been linked to several major extinction events in Earth's history, including the one that wiped out the dinosaurs 66 million years ago. However, mass extinctions caused by asteroid impacts are rare and usually occur only when the asteroid is large enough (over 1 km in diameter) to cause widespread devastation.

3. How do scientists predict asteroid impacts?

Scientists use telescopes and other instruments to track the movements of known asteroids and identify potential impact risks. They also use computer models to simulate the trajectories of asteroids and determine the likelihood of impact. The most dangerous asteroids are constantly monitored by organizations such as NASA's Near-Earth Object Program.

4. What are the potential consequences of a large asteroid impact?

A large asteroid impact could have catastrophic consequences, including widespread destruction, tsunamis, and global climate change. Depending on the size and location of the impact, it could also lead to long-term effects such as a nuclear winter, which could have a significant impact on life on Earth.

5. How can we protect ourselves from asteroid impacts?

There are several strategies that scientists are currently exploring to protect Earth from potential asteroid impacts. These include deflecting the asteroid's path using a spacecraft or changing its composition through a technique called "gravity tractor." Early detection and tracking of potentially hazardous asteroids also play a crucial role in developing effective mitigation strategies.

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