Study: Volcanic Lightning Could Have Kickstarted Life on Earth

The origin of life on Earth has long intrigued scientists, with many proposing that amino acids, the building blocks of proteins essential for life, arrived here through means such as atmospheric lightning and thunderstorms. A novel study, however, posits that volcanic lightning could have also played a critical role in the formation of these vital protein components.

A collaborative effort by geologists, scientists, and mineralogists has uncovered evidence indicating that volcanic lightning could have been instrumental in fixing atmospheric nitrogen into forms conducive to life’s emergence.

Nitrogen, a key element in amino acids, is plentiful in the Earth’s atmosphere but in a form that plants cannot directly utilize, unlike carbon dioxide. Instead, plants primarily absorb nitrogen through a process known as nitrogen-fixing. This process involves converting atmospheric nitrogen into ammonia, facilitated by nitrogen-fixing bacteria and blue-green algae.

However, Slimane Bekki from Sorbonne University in Paris highlights that such bacteria were absent during life’s initial stages on Earth, suggesting the necessity for a non-biological nitrogen source. While thunderstorm lightning has been previously acknowledged as a potential source, based on the findings of the iconic Miller-Urey experiment in the 1950s, Bekki and his team propose volcanic lightning as another viable source.

By analyzing ancient volcanic deposits from sites in Turkey, Italy, and Peru, the researchers discovered significant amounts of nitrates. Tests indicated these nitrates were atmospheric in origin, rather than directly emanating from the volcanoes, suggesting lightning as the probable cause. Notably, the quantities of nitrates found were substantial enough to potentially facilitate the creation of amino acids.

This groundbreaking research was detailed in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, shedding new light on the potential pathways through which life’s foundational elements may have formed on Earth.