Did life on Earth begin in Turkey? Scientists investigate

Researchers from Sorbonne University in Paris have suggested that lightning strikes occurring during volcanic eruptions could provide the nitrogen needed by the first life forms. Accordingly, it is thought that volcanic activities in Turkey, Peru, and Italy may have contributed to the formation of life on Earth.

According to the researchers' claim, lightning occurring during volcanic eruptions in Turkey, Italy, and Peru may have caused the emergence of life on Earth.

It is believed that as a result of the combination of volcanic eruptions and lightning, nitrogen and oxygen react to form nitrogen oxide. This nitrogen oxide may have subsequently mixed into the soil, providing the nitrogen that could create and sustain life.

Sorbonne researchers found large amounts of "atmospheric nitrate" in samples taken from three ancient volcanic regions in Turkey, Italy, and Peru. This indicates that the source of the nitrogen was not the volcanoes themselves, but rather came from the atmosphere as a result of lightning strikes.

Lead researcher Slimane Bekki stated that a great deal of lightning strikes during major volcanic eruptions. Bekki and his team visited southern Peru, Turkey's Central Anatolia region, and a volcanic island off the coast of Naples, Italy. These regions are known to host ancient volcanic beds.

The researchers found large amounts of nitrate in the soil and stated that these came from the atmosphere via lightning rather than from the volcanoes. The nitrate that lightning carries all over the Earth can enable the rapid formation of volcanic deposits containing large amounts of fixed nitrogen, which could be an important factor for the development of life.

According to a separate study, researchers from Johns Hopkins University and Charles University in the Czech Republic stated that volcanic lightning causes the formation of nitrogen oxide, leading to the release of amino acids into the soil. This may have laid the foundation for the formation of historical microorganisms, or "the first life forms."

Johns Hopkins chemist Stephen Fried, who led the research, said, "We see the same amino acids in every organism, from humans to bacteria. The reason for this is that every life form on Earth is connected through an organism that is the common ancestor of all living things."

News Source: 12punto