A lake in Canada may hold clues to the true origin of life

A recent study, focused on last chance lakeA shallow body of water located on volcanic rock in the province of British Columbia, Canadamay reveal secrets about origin of life on earth, as it spread cnnThe discovery provides new data that could advance scientific understanding of how life began.

published in magazine Nature On January 9, this study presents evidence that carbonate-rich lakes, similar to Last Chancethey could be “cradle of lifeAs suggested, at the dawn of the planet david catlingStudy co-author and geology professor University of Washington,

Last Chance Lake was selected as a research focus when a literature review revealed an unpublished master’s thesis from the 1990s that documented abnormal levels of phosphate in this lake. “We think we have a very promising place for the origin of life,” Catling said.

This model, which posits shallow, salty lakes rather than marine environments, was responsible for the emergence of almost all life. 4 billion yearsopposes traditional theories and proposals A new approach in exploring the origins of human existence,

He last chance lake It is situated on a volcanic plateau British Columbia Phosphate concentrations are the highest ever recorded in a natural spring and water source more than 1,000 meters above sea level. land, This lake, more than 30 centimeters deep, is now presented as an important window to understand the conditions that could have favored the origin of life on the planet. land,

Phosphate, an essential component of key biological molecules such as DNA, RNA and ATP, is found in this water body in proportions up to 1,000 times higher than normal in oceans and lakes. Sebastian Haas, a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Washington, who led the study of this chemical and microbiological peculiarity, highlighted the importance of these findings for better understanding the environments that may have been favorable for the emergence of life on Earth.

Between 2021 and 2022, decline And his team sampled water and sediment in the lake, which revealed not only an abundance of phosphates, but also the abundant presence of the mineral dolomite. The latter contributes to the accumulation of phosphorus in the environment, which is formed by a reaction involving calcium, magnesium and carbonates in the lake. “We’re facing additional credibility to the idea that this type of environment could be favorable for the origin of life, and it’s plausible.”he claimed decline,

The resulting combination of chemical processes, influenced by minerals from the volcanic rock on which Last Chance Lake is located, as well as the dry climate, has produced unique concentrations of phosphate. It is believed that these findings may provide fundamental clues about what conditions were like on Earth 4 billion years ago, when life began to emerge. Last Chance Lake, less than 10,000 years old, thus offers a practical model, or natural snapshot, of Earth’s distant past.

“There is every reason to believe that similar lakes may have existed on the early land about 4 billion years ago,” Haas said. He explained that the volcanic rocks beneath Last Chance Lake are necessary for the formation of soda lakes. And these, according to the study, are important for high phosphate concentrations.

life on planet land It may have originated in terrestrial soda lakes rather than in the deep, dark ocean depths. This hypothesis opens new avenues for discovery and exploration of life. Foreigner In celestial bodies with similar characteristics Mars planet,

That is, if life emerged in environments like soda lakes, then so too in planets with rocky surfaces. Mars planet They may have a greater chance of harboring life, or at least, have evidence of their past existence. “If you think life originated at the bottom of the ocean, you can take a closer look at the Moon’s sub-glacial ocean saturn And Jupiter Haas clarified: “But if you believe that life originated on the Earth’s surface, landlike planets Mars planet “They may be much more important.”

Rocky formations that give rise to soda lakes, characterized by their high pH and carbonate concentrations, are common on Mars. This coincidence suggests that the chemical processes and environmental conditions necessary for the emergence of life could have been repeated under similar conditions on the Red Planet or elsewhere in the universe. “Understanding how life originated on Earth is critical to our search for life beyond Earth,” Haas said, emphasizing how these findings could guide future space exploration missions. .