Planetary collision may have made life on Earth possible
- 5 years ago
HOUSTON — Most of Earth's vital elements for life mostly likely came from a planetary collision that also created the moon more than 4.4 billion years ago, according to a Rice University study published in the journal Science Advances.
For life to occur on a planet, volatile elements including carbon, nitrogen and sulfur must be present.
According to the study, a catastrophic collision between Earth while it was still forming and a Mars-sized object with volatile elements could explain how these elements were introduced.
Researchers used a combination of high-temperature, high-pressure experiments to mimic these conditions in the lab.
The results were then fed into computer simulations that were able to determine the size and chemical composition of the impacting planet.
The team conclude that Earth's volatiles arrived from a collision with an embryonic planet that had a sulfur-rich core.
For life to occur on a planet, volatile elements including carbon, nitrogen and sulfur must be present.
According to the study, a catastrophic collision between Earth while it was still forming and a Mars-sized object with volatile elements could explain how these elements were introduced.
Researchers used a combination of high-temperature, high-pressure experiments to mimic these conditions in the lab.
The results were then fed into computer simulations that were able to determine the size and chemical composition of the impacting planet.
The team conclude that Earth's volatiles arrived from a collision with an embryonic planet that had a sulfur-rich core.