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Scientist asserts that Earth life was seeded by Mars

A new study contributes to the theory that Earth life began on Mars and was transported here via meteorite.

Steven Benner. (Credit: FfAME)

Steven Benner. (Credit: FfAME)

On Wednesday, August 28, biochemist Steven Benner of Florida’s Westheimer Institute for Science and Technology presented evidence at the annual Goldschmidt geochemistry conference in Florence, Italy suggesting life’s Martian origins. Scientific American concisely explains:

The new argument, in a nutshell, is that young Mars had a more oxygen-rich atmosphere than Earth did 4 billion years ago, and was drier. This would have resulted in a different mineralogical surface environment, one that could have provided a catalyst for the assembly of key RNA molecules and all the biotic chemistry leading to life as we know it. Subsequent asteroid impacts on Mars would have spewed chunks of rock into space, carrying life (presumably in microbial form) through the solar system and onto the surface of a youthful Earth.

Benner’s recent research found that an oxidized form of the element molybdenum was likely on Mars’s surface at one point in history, but not on Earth’s. Space.com reports that molybdenum may have been crucial to the origin of life. Benner explains:

What ancient Mars may have looked like. (Credit: Ittiz/Wikimedia Commons)

What ancient Mars may have looked like. (Credit: Ittiz/Wikimedia Commons)

It’s only when molybdenum becomes highly oxidized that it is able to influence how early life formed . . . This form of molybdenum couldn’t have been available on Earth at the time life first began, because 3 billion years ago, the surface of the Earth had very little oxygen, but Mars did. It’s yet another piece of evidence which makes it more likely life came to Earth on a Martian meteorite, rather than starting on this planet.

The idea that life from elsewhere could have been transported to Earth (a theory known as panspermia) is not new. But as Scientific American points out, the theories surrounding the initial steps in the creation of life are heavily debated. And Benner’s theories rely heavily on assumptions/educated guesses regarding the environments on ancient Earth and Mars. Scientific American concludes, “So, did Mars seed life on Earth? We simply don’t know. However, by exploring the possibility we certainly stand to gain information from the fact that young Earth and young Mars probably were rather different – chemically and environmentally. Two natural test-tubes rather than one.”

About Jason McClellan

Jason McClellan is a UFO journalist and the producer/co-host of the web series Spacing Out! He is also the web content manager and staff writer for OpenMinds.tv, and a co-organizer and technical producer of the International UFO Congress. As a founding member of Open Minds, Jason served as a writer and editor for the now defunct Open Minds magazine. He has appeared on Syfy, NatGeo, and, most recently, he co-starred on H2's Hangar 1: The UFO Files. ------ Follow Jason on Twitter @acecentric and subscribe to Jason's updates on Facebook.

One comment

  1. Theories are good and they are plentiful. That noted however, it will take more than a theory to either confirm or disprove anything. As of right now, NASA’s budget has been so gutted out that while we can fund attacks on nations like Syria, they couldn’t afford to send a genuine, life-evidence seeking mission to Mars that wasn’t constructed from old used automobile parts.

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