I am an alien intelligence

[GOD]

DNA and RNA Came from Space - Researchers find nucleobases in meteorite fragment


For some reason or another, all of us like to believe that Earth is special - after all, our planet is the only one able to sustain life that we know of. Indeed, Earth is special in its own way, but life would not have been possible without the significant contribution of material coming form space. In fact, a new study shows that the compounds making up DNA and RNA actually originated in space, not on Earth as previously thought, and were brought here by meteorite fragments and other similar objects.

"We believe early life may have adopted nucleobases from meteoritic fragments for use in genetic coding which enabled them to pass on their successful features to subsequent generations," said the leader of the study, Zita Martins of the Department of Earth Science and Engineering at Imperial College London.

In 1969, a meteorite fragment, known today as the Murchison meteorite, crashed in the Australian outback. A thorough analysis, following its discovery, showed that it contained uracil and xanthine molecules (nucleobases), which are building blocks for genetic materials made up of a heavy carbon isotope. On Earth, such molecules contain only light carbon isotopes.

However, these two molecules are just a few of many others found in the respective fragment. "There are about 70 different amino acids in the Murchison meteorite. About six or so are the same kinds of amino acids associated with life on Earth," said David Deamer from the University of California.

The uracil molecule is one of the four bases for the RNA molecule, therefore it is invaluable to life. Deamer points out that, although these molecules have been proven to originate in space, they could have been developed on Earth just as well. Nevertheless, the proportion of molecules originating only in space or only on Earth is currently unknown.

"We don't know the answer yet. Most people would say that both contributed to the organic compounds available on Earth, but we don't know with certainty how much of one compared to the other," said Deamer.

Between 3.8 and 4.5 billion years ago, when primitive life first appeared, the Earth and Mars could have been literally bombarded with meteorites similar to the Murchison, thus studying the impact they would have had on different planets could reveal how life evolved in the solar system.

"Because meteorites represent leftover materials from the formation of the solar system, the key components for life - including nucleobases - could be widespread in the cosmos. As more and more of life's raw materials are discovered in objects from space, the possibility of life springing forth wherever the right chemistry is present becomes more likely," said Mark Sephton, professor of Earth science and engineering at Imperial College London and co-author of the study.

 

[spice]

This makes a lot more sense than some old white guy with a beard in a gown.

 

[Ahuaeynjxs]

I had understood that way before the scientists proved it...

+1 for me ! wahahaha :lol:

There is an inn, a merry old inn
beneath an old grey hill,
And there they brew a beer so brown
That the Man in the Moon himself came down
one night to drink his fill.

The ostler has a tipsy cat
that plays a five-stringed fiddle;
And up and down he runs his bow,
Now squeaking high, now purring low,
now sawing in the middle.

The landlord keeps a little dog
that is mighty fond of jokes;
When there's good cheer among the guests,
He cocks an ear at all the jests
and laughs until he chokes.

They also keep a horned cow
as proud as any queen;
But music turns her head like ale,
And makes her wave her tufted tail
and dance upon the green.

And O! the rows of silver dishes
and the store of silver spoons!
For Sunday there's a special pair,
And these they polish up with care
on Saturday afternoons.

The Man in the Moon was drinking deep,
and the cat began to wail;
A dish and a spoon on the table danced,
The cow in the garden madly pranced,
and the little dog chased his tail.

The Man in the Moon took another mug,
and then rolled beneath his chair;
And there he dozed and dreamed of ale,
Till in the sky the stars were pale,
and dawn was in the air.

Then the ostler said to his tipsy cat:
‘The white horses of the Moon,
They neigh and champ their silver bits;
But their master's been and drowned his wits,
and the Sun'll be rising soon!’

So the cat on his fiddle played hey-diddle-diddle,
a jig that would wake the dead:
He squeaked and sawed and quickened the tune,
While the landlord shook the Man in the Moon:
'It's after three!' he said.

They rolled the Man slowly up the hill
and bundled him into the Moon,
While his horses galloped up in rear,
And the cow came capering like a deer,
and a dish ran up with the spoon.

Now quicker the fiddle went deedle-dum-diddle;
the dog began to roar,
The cow and the horses stood on their heads;
The guests all bounded from their beds
and danced upon the floor.

With a ping and a pong the fiddle-strings broke!
the cow jumped over the Moon,
And the little dog laughed to see such fun,
And the Saturday dish went off at a run
with the silver Sunday spoon.

The round Moon rolled behind the hill
as the Sun raised up her head.
She* hardly believed her fiery eyes;
For though it was day, to her surprise
they all went back to bed!

* Elves (and Hobbits) always refer to the Sun as She.