Tiny Sparks in Water May Have Triggered Life on Earth, a New Study Suggests
The origin of life on Earth is one of science's biggest questions, and previous theories have suggested that lightning may have played a role.
While previous studies say volcanic or atmospheric lightning may have triggered chemical reactions that created organic molecules, a new study says that microlightning between oppositely-charged water droplets could have been the cause.
These imperceptible charges would overcome some of the original lightning theories' limitations while providing a new avenue for exploration into life's origins.
Why is there anything instead of nothing? The question is one of the greatest mysteries underpinning nearly every scientific field. Particle physicists ponder why matter exists, when the Big Bang should've produced self-annihilating antimatter in equal measure. Neuroscientists explore why animals exhibit forms of subjective consciousness rather than just a collection of electrical impulses. Biologists explore perhaps the most vital question of all: how did Earth give rise to life?
Of course, such a profound question is bound to inspire a plethora of possible theories—both scientific and otherwise. One of the leading theories, first proposed by American scientists Stanley Miller and Harold C. Urey back in 1953, suggests that atmospheric lightning may have kickstarted the production of amino acids by inducing chemical reactions on early Earth. This idea continues to hold sway today, as a Harvard University study last year supported the idea that cloud-to-ground lightning strikes (particularly ones produced by volcanic activity) could've provided life's necessary ingredients, including molecules with carbon-nitrogen bonds.
However, some critics suggest that such a genesis theory likely has a low probability, due to lightning's infrequency and the dispersal of the ingredients required for this theory to take place. Now, a new study from Stanford University similarly explores the idea of life's electrifying beginnings, but in another context—microlightning in water droplets. This new idea suggests that spray from waterfalls or breaking waves could have created its own electricity between oppositely charged water droplets. This could theoretically address one of the main concerns of the original theory, as the 'lightning' is located among water droplets themselves. The results of the study were published in the journal Science Advances.
'We usually think of water as so benign, but when it's divided in the form of little droplets, water is highly reactive […].On early Earth, there were water sprays all over the place—into crevices or against rocks, and they can accumulate and create this chemical reaction,' Richard Zare, senior author of the study from Stanford, said in a press statement. 'I think this overcomes many of the problems people have with the Miller-Urey hypothesis.'
In the study, Zare and his team used high-speed cameras to capture flashes of light called 'microlightning' between large positively-charged water droplets and smaller negatively charged ones. They sent sprays of room temperature water into a chamber filled with nitrogen, methane, carbon dioxide, and ammonia gases—a.k.a. the atmosphere of early Earth. The team found that this reactive water created the molecules necessary for life with carbon-nitrogen bonds, including hydrogen cyanide, the amino acid glycine, and uracil.
'Microelectric discharges between oppositely charged water microdroplets make all the organic molecules observed previously in the Miller-Urey experiment, and we propose that this is a new mechanism for the prebiotic synthesis of molecules that constitute the building blocks of life,' Zare said in a press statement.
Both biologists and astrobiologists have thoroughly established the importance of water for habitable worlds, but if this new theory holds up to scrutiny, that importance has been drastically understated.
You Might Also Like
The Do's and Don'ts of Using Painter's Tape
The Best Portable BBQ Grills for Cooking Anywhere
Can a Smart Watch Prolong Your Life?
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
San Francisco Chronicle
a day ago
- San Francisco Chronicle
New documentary reveals the triumphs and heartbreak of Sally Ride's legacy
The inspiring story of Sally Ride, the first American woman in outer space, is given its full, deserved due in a new National Geographic documentary. And it broke my heart. Not because of how 'Sally' depicts the incredibly capable, Stanford-educated physicist's efforts to break the highest of glass ceilings and be recognized for her abilities rather than her sex. Utilizing plentiful archival footage, contemporary commentary, recent interview observations from people who were there and some dramatized recreation, director Cristina Costantini gets some sly laughs, edged with appropriate anger, out of the sexist mindsets Ride deftly steered her career through in the 1970s and '80s. What makes 'Sally' so sad was the astronaut's decision to keep her sexuality secret — as her public image soared to heights few women had ever known — until her death from pancreatic cancer in 2012. This aspect of her life grows especially poignant in the film due to the participation of Tam O'Shaughnessy. A tennis buddy Ride met when they were tweens (both Southern California girls were mentored by Billie Jean King), O'Shaughnessy later became her life partner of 27 years. An erudite biology professor, O'Shaughnessy provides much of the film's insight into Ride's personal life during extensive interview stretches and, presumably, via additional input behind the scenes (she has an executive producer credit). Subjective as some of this may be, it's powerful emotional stuff that often reveals more about O'Shaughnessy's own feelings than about Ride herself, who remained enigmatic — even to the love of her life. Fellow astronaut Steven Hawley, who was married to Ride for five years, still seems baffled by what was really going on with her. But like her subject, Costantini maintains a certain rigor in the sentiment department. She doesn't come close to suggesting that Ride was riddled with personal anxieties or fears of being outed. On the other hand, the NASA legend is neither presented as emotionless, calculating nor furtive, but rather as a focused professional who could separate the joy in her achievements from the cacophony of everything else. One brief clip of her mother Carol reinforces the telling intel that Ride was not raised in a demonstrative home. 'If I knew how I felt about feelings, I would probably not tell you,' an immovable Carol says to the camera. Yet Ride's determination, boldness and courage come across palpable. This is brought home when, following her own groundbreaking missions, Ride became the only Space Shuttle astronaut on the committee investigating the Challenger disaster. As the movie frames it, she essentially sacrificed her own future at NASA to expose the cause of the post-launch explosion, and the systemic incompetence that led to it. Costantini ('Science Fair,' 'Mucho Mucho Amor') said she has been a Sally Ride fan since third grade, when she painted a mural of her hero on a school wall. With 'Sally,' she presents a portrait of a pure scientist cognizant of the example she was setting for girls and women of all generations to come. The film is indelibly triumphant in that way; its sadness is generated partly by Ride's apparent inability to fully master the science of love, and certainly by the restrictions a homophobic culture placed on her at the time. There's a clip near the end of Barack Obama presenting Ride's posthumous Presidential Medal of Freedom to O'Shaughnessy. It's a beautiful moment of acknowledgement too-long delayed — one that would never happen today. Perhaps the most heart-rending lesson 'Sally' imparts is that that final frontier keeps getting moved out of reach.
CNET
a day ago
- CNET
The Aging Brain: 6 Things You Should Be Doing to Slow Cognitive Decline
When it comes to healthy aging, we tend to focus a lot on body health by exercising and eating well. One thing you might not be thinking about is brain health. But you should be. Your brain runs the rest of your body, and as we age, it changes, too. Cognition declines over time due to several factors, including age-related structure changes, brain injuries or excess stress hormones. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, one in nine American adults over 65 report cognitive decline. "The parts of our brain that help with learning information and remembering can become smaller, and the brain can weigh less as we age," said Colleen Marshall, chief clinical officer for Two Chairs. Aging doesn't happen at the same rate for everyone, but we all experience it in one way or another. Focusing on brain fitness now may help you slow the change and ensure your brain stays sharp through the years. How to start nourishing your brain for healthy aging 1) Solve puzzles We'll start with the easiest strategy to integrate into your daily life: puzzles. Solving puzzles can benefit the brain in several ways, from improving memory to boosting problem-solving skills. "They may slow the rate of cognitive decline and how quickly the brain decreases in size as we age," Marshall said. A study published in the journal Neurology reported that playing games like checkers or completing jigsaw puzzles can delay the onset of Alzheimer's by about five years. Different research supports the idea that solving crossword puzzles or journaling can lower the risk of dementia. Experts suggest that puzzles help curb cognitive decline because they expand the brain's cognitive reserve, or the ability to solve and cope with problems. Activities to try include putting together jigsaw puzzles or solving other types of puzzles, such as Sudoku, crosswords, memory games and math problems. 2) Learn a new skill Like stimulating the brain by playing games or solving puzzles, learning a new skill has short-term and long-term advantages. By learning a new skill, you're strategically activating several parts of your brain simultaneously. You're also promoting neuroplasticity by creating new pathways and strengthening those connections as you continue honing the skill. It could be learning a new language, painting or trying out a new sport. Just make sure it's challenging or complex, and continue to practice for the best brain results.3) Prioritize sleep Sleep is one of the most important things you can do for your body. While I'm not saying there's a right or wrong way to sleep, research suggests that how much sleep you get and the quality of your sleep influence your risk for dementia. According to a study published in the Journal of Neuroscience, a single night of sleep deprivation can age your brain. A lot goes on in the brain while we sleep, including clearing out toxins and creating new neural pathways. If you don't get enough sleep, your brain doesn't have time to carry out these functions and cognition suffers. Establishing a bedtime routine can have a big impact on your sleep quality. From reading a book to practicing yoga before bed, integrating relaxation into your night can help boost your sleep. 4) Focus on your nutrition What you eat also will influence the rate of cognitive decline you experience as you age. Studies have found that people who follow the Mediterranean and MIND (Mediterranean Dash Intervention for Neurodegenerative Delay) diets tend to have fewer cognitive impairments and dementias compared to those following other diets. More research is needed to conclude why this is true. However, it might have something to do with the way those diets prioritize foods that protect the brain with anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. Read more: Master the Mediterranean Diet With the Help of These Tips and Recipes No matter if you choose to follow a strict diet or just improve your current meal rotation, you'll want to focus on improving your blood sugar and dropping high levels of LDL cholesterol to reduce your risk of dementia. Foods to incorporate into your diet for better brain health: Leafy greens like spinach, kale and lettuce Salmon Dark berries Nuts Greek yogurt Dark chocolate Green tea Vegetables like broccoli and carrots 5) Exercise Studies have found that following an active lifestyle is associated with lower cognitive decline over time. Your heart rate increases when you exercise, which increases blood flow to the brain. This can help spark new development of nerve cells, a process called neurogenesis. Exercise also promotes increased connections between cells, making the brain more adaptive. Generally, any exercise that's good for the body will also help the mind. It doesn't have to be lifting weights; walking, swimming and dancing also achieve the same results. Read more: How Exercise Helps Boost Your Memory-Brain Health as You Age6) Make connections with others Marshall pointed out that prioritizing high-quality relationships with others can benefit the brain. According to a meta-analysis of longitudinal cohort studies, limited or poor relationships were associated with cognitive decline. Prioritizing social contact is an essential part of aging well. Whether spending time with your family or putting yourself out there at your local community center, staying connected is an integral part of aging gracefully. Too long; didn't read? Our brains change as we age; there is no way around it. However, integrating any of these easy habits into your routine can help nourish and safeguard your brain for the future. There are also a few things you should avoid to keep your brain in top shape. Heavy cigarette smoking has been associated with cognitive decline in middle age. Marshall added that heavy drinking, poor diet and unmanaged high blood pressure can also negatively impact the brain as we age. Don't worry; there's still time to turn it around. Even if you smoke now, quitting has the potential to return your risk of cognitive decline to a level that's comparable to those who never smoked.
Yahoo
a day ago
- Yahoo
Scientists develop game-changing method to generate energy from gentle breeze: 'What excites us most is the simplicity'
Researchers from India are demonstrating that harnessing wind power only requires a flutter. It's a stark contrast to the "world's largest" turbine accomplishments in China and elsewhere. "Yet, there is a quieter, more compact option: a slender strip of material fluttering in the breeze, capable of converting ambient airflow into usable electrical energy," the experts from the Indian Institutes of Technology wrote in a summary published by Tech Xplore. And while the small-scale breeze catchers won't be powering cities, the team said they could energize sensors and lights in remote settings and hard-to-reach areas. The key is slim polymer sheets that are used as piezoelectric materials. They can convert flutters, or vibrations from ambient air, into electricity. The team's blueprint isn't overly complicated, per the report. "Our work focuses on a simple idea: attach a flexible plate with a piezoelectric sheet to the downstream side of a cylinder and expose it to wind. As wind flows past the cylinder, it causes the attached plate to flutter — much like a flag," they wrote. Experts around the world are working on ways to harness unique energy sources. Students in France built turnstiles in a metro station that generated electricity from everyday human movement, powering nearby TV screens as people passed through. An international research team is studying how to generate voltage as low winds pass over water droplets. The team did some tweaking to the sheets to improve the device, generating more energy. It's thanks to "a resonance phenomenon where the oscillation frequency of the plate synchronizes with the frequency of vortex shedding," the experts said. The device was able to light 20 LEDs continuously, and 40 momentarily, with stored charge. The inventive energy generation is part of the overall shift to a cleaner future without reliance on heat-trapping fossil fuels. NASA has linked the fumes those energy sources produce to increased risks for severe weather — blackout-causing storms that are more damaging and frequent. Should the government be paying us to upgrade our homes? Definitely Depends on how much it costs Depends on what it's for No way Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. Anyone can participate in the switch at home by investing in solar panel tech. It's a move that provides the average American household around $700 in annual savings, after expenses, according to a government study. EnergySage, a free online tool, is a reliable ally that can make sure you secure all the incentives and find the right installer, saving up to $10,000 on the installation. In the end, you can reduce or eliminate your power bill. Community solar is an option to tap the sun's power from a nearby solar farm via a subscription plan. You can save up to $150 a year on your utility bill without installing tech at home. In India, the researchers said they still have some improvements to make to the low-speed wind setup to prepare it for practical use. "What excites us most is the simplicity and scalability of this approach. Unlike traditional turbines, these harvesters have no rotating parts, minimal maintenance needs, and can be easily integrated into urban or natural environments. As the world seeks smarter, smaller, and cleaner ways to generate energy, this flutter-powered harvester may just have the wind at its back," the team wrote. Join our free newsletter for weekly updates on the latest innovations improving our lives and shaping our future, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
