Revolutionary discovery at the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean has brought scientists closer to understanding how life originated on Earth. Researchers drilled the Earth’s core 1.2 kilometers from an underwater mountain called the Atlantis Massif, uncovering key clues about the processes that may have triggered life.
A team of scientists led by magma expert Johan Lisenberg from Cardiff University explored the extreme conditions in which broken rocks from the Earth’s crust mix with seawater, publishing their study on August 18th. It is believed that this environment is similar to the conditions that could have sparked the emergence of unique microbes and early forms of life billions of years ago, which marked the beginning of life on planet Earth. The Atlantis Massif is one of the rare locations on Earth where scientists can access material directly from the upper crust, providing a unique opportunity to study the deep processes that shape the Earth.
„The oceanic crust is still forming. Every day, essentially,“ explains Lisenberg to CNN, as reported by Politika, talking about the continuous creation of new Earth’s crust as the tectonic plates expand. Rock from the part of the Earth’s crust that was extracted from the Atlantis Massif offers a snapshot of these processes, which are otherwise inaccessible beneath the ocean floor.
One of the key discoveries of the study is the presence of serpentine minerals. Serpentine forms when olivine, the primary mineral in the rock, reacts with seawater, releasing hydrogen. The team’s analysis revealed unexpected stability in the mineral composition of the core, challenging previous assumptions about the homogeneity of the Earth’s crust. This variability is crucial for reconstructing the „chemical kitchen,“ as Lisenberg describes it, which enabled reactions to sustain life. Scientists continue to study the core, hoping to discover more details about the upper crust and gain a deeper understanding of the processes that may have led to the origin of life on Earth.
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