Rock contains clues to formation of our oceans – and life
AMETEORITE which fell to Earth in Gloucestershire could hold key information about how oceans and life formed on our planet, scientists have said.
An analysis of the rock, which fell in Winchcombe on February 28, 2021, revealed it contained around 11 per cent water and two per cent carbon.
Perhaps more excitingly, the meteorite was also found to contain amino acids – essential building blocks for the formation of life.
Experts said these findings, published in the journal Science Advances, indicate the vital role asteroids played in kickstarting life on Earth billions of years ago.
Dr Luke Daly, a lecturer in planetary geoscience at the University of Glasgow and author on the paper, said: “One of the biggest questions asked of the scientific community is how did we get here?
“This analysis on the Winchcombe meteorite gives insight into how the Earth came to have water – the source of so much life.
“Researchers will continue to work on this specimen for years to come, unlocking more secrets into the origins of our solar system.”
The Winchcombe meteorite is part of a rare class of rocks known as carbonaceous chondrites.
Carbonaceous chondrites comprise about three per cent of all meteorites collected on Earth and are thought to contain unaltered chemicals from the formation of the solar system more than four billion years ago.
Dr Ashley King, of the Natural History Museum and author on the paper, said the analysis offers scientists “a tantalising glimpse back through time to the original composition of the solar system 4.6 billion years ago”.
Analysis of the meteorite sample revealed extra-terrestrial water that is “locked-up in minerals that formed during chemical reactions between fluids and rocks on its parent asteroid in the earliest stages of the solar system”. In simpler terms, scientists found water within minerals inside the meteorite which formed billions and billions of years ago.
Chemical analysis revealed this water to closely resemble the composition of water on Earth.
The samples were also found to contain amino acids – molecules that are one of the essential components for the origin of life.
Researchers said rapid recovery of the meteorite allowed experts to analyse it while in pristine state.
Dr Natasha Almeida, curator of meteorites at the Natural History Museum and co-author, said: “We’re still reeling from our good fortune to have such an important meteorite fall in the UK, and are so grateful to the local community for their donations and the UK’S cosmochemistry network for coming together to produce this extensive study.
“The combination of such a quick recovery, careful collection, and our ongoing curation of Winchcombe in a nitrogen atmosphere means this incredibly fresh specimen will remain one of the most pristine meteorites in collections worldwide.”
Researchers will continue to work on this specimen for years to come
Dr Luke Daly