Newcastle University, UK - Tectonically-driven oxidant production in the hot biosphere [Scholarly Article - Nature Communications, August 2022]

Title:

Tectonically-driven oxidant production in the hot biosphere 

 

Authors:

Jordan Stone, School of Natural and Environmental Sciences, Newcastle University, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, NE1 7RU, UK

John O. Edgar, School of Natural and Environmental Sciences, Newcastle University, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, NE1 7RU, UK

Jamie A. Gould, Faculty of Science, Agriculture and Engineering, Newcastle University, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, NE1 7RU, UK

& 

Jon Telling, School of Natural and Environmental Sciences, Newcastle University, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, NE1 7RU, UK 

 

Published:

Nature Communications, 8 August 2022

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-022-32129-y

 

Abstract:

Genomic reconstructions of the common ancestor to all life have identified genes involved in H2O2 and O2 cycling. Commonly dismissed as an artefact of lateral gene transfer after oxygenic photosynthesis evolved, an alternative is a geological source of H2O2 and O2 on the early Earth. Here, we show that under oxygen-free conditions high concentrations of H2O2 can be released from defects on crushed silicate rocks when water is added and heated to temperatures close to boiling point, but little is released at temperatures <80 °C. This temperature window overlaps the growth ranges of evolutionary ancient heat-loving and oxygen-respiring Bacteria and Archaea near the root of the Universal Tree of Life. We propose that the thermal activation of mineral surface defects during geological fault movements and associated stresses in the Earth’s crust was a source of oxidants that helped drive the (bio)geochemistry of hot fractures where life first evolved. 

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Ancient Source of Oxygen for Life Discovered Hidden Deep in the Earth’s Crust

by Newcastle University (SciTechDaily, 8 August 2022)

https://scitechdaily.com/ancient-source-of-oxygen-for-life-discovered-hidden-deep-in-the-earths-crust/

University of Glasgow, UK - Robot chemist offers insight into the origins of life [Phys. org, 10 June 2021]

Title:

Robot chemist offers insight into the origins of life

 

By:

University of Glasgow

 

Published:

Phys.org, 10 June 2021

https://phys.org/news/2021-06-robot-chemist-insight-life.html

 

From the article:

A team of chemists from the University of Glasgow developed the robot, which uses a machine-learning algorithm to make decisions about which chemicals from a selection of 18 to combine in a reactor, and how to set conditions under which the reaction occurs. The robot is capable of running the experiments on its own, with minimal human supervision.  

 

The process aims to provide new insight into how Earth's complex organic life developed from its simple, non-living chemical origins by allowing the machine to run experiments over the course of several weeks.

 

Also see

 

Asche, S., Cooper, G.J.T., Keenan, G. et al. A robotic prebiotic chemist probes long term reactions of complexifying mixtures. Nat Commun 12, 3547 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-021-23828-z