In a groundbreaking hypothesis, a new study from Harvard University, as reported by the New York Post, suggests that lightning may have been the catalyst for life on Earth. This discovery challenges our current understanding of the origins of life and opens up new avenues for future research on extraterrestrial life.
Lightning may hold the key to life on Earth. Photo: NYP
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Professor George M. Whitesides, the lead author of the study, stated, “The origin of life is one of the grand unanswered questions facing chemistry.” The most perplexing aspect is how the basic building blocks of life, such as nucleic acids, proteins, and metabolites, could have formed billions of years ago.
The Harvard study is based on the hypothesis that chemical reactions between water, electrolytes, and the atmosphere produced the first biological molecules. Previously, some theories suggested that an asteroid may have brought the necessary components for life when it collided with Earth. However, the new theory proposes that lightning could have been the energy source that facilitated the formation of biological molecular structures by providing carbon and nitrogen.
An experiment with lightning bolts to simulate early Earth conditions. Photo: NYP
To test this theory, the research team conducted an experiment that simulated the conditions of prehistoric Earth using plasma, the fourth state of matter. The artificial lightning bolts in this experiment generated high energy, transforming carbon dioxide and nitrogen into active compounds, which could then take the first steps toward life.
Potential for Discovering Extraterrestrial Life
This discovery not only takes us back in time but also opens up possibilities for finding life beyond our planet. Lead author Haihui Joy Jiang remarked, “Lightning has been observed on Jupiter and Saturn, and the plasma and chemical reactions it produces could exist beyond our solar system.”
The team’s research can also be applied to simulating environmental conditions on other planets, thus exploring pathways for the formation of extraterrestrial life.
Lightning played a crucial role in human evolution. Photo: Sergey Nivens
Potential Applications in Green Technology
The Harvard research not only reshapes our understanding of life on Earth but also paves the way for new directions in the search for and development of life on other planets.
“Be Safe, Unplug Electrical Devices During Stormy Weather and Lightning.”
To ensure safety and reduce the risk of electrical hazards such as short circuits and electric shocks during a storm, it is advisable to unplug your electrical appliances and devices at home.
Why taking a shower during a thunderstorm is not a good idea?
When the wind picks up, the sky darkens, and suddenly you hear thunder in the distance, remember the following.
