SPACE — Scientists from the University of Washington claim to have discovered a lake in western Canada that is thought to match Charles Darwin’s ‘small warm pool’ hypothesis, where life began on early Earth. These shallow ‘soda lakes’ had the right chemistry and water conditions to facilitate the spontaneous synthesis of complex molecules, which gave rise to life on Earth some 4 billion years ago.
The team’s research has been published in the journal Nature Communications Earth & Environment. In their explanation, Last Chance Lake is a small body of water that contains high amounts of dissolved carbonates and sodium, like a dumping ground for large amounts of baking soda. In reality, the high levels of dissolved sodium and carbonate in the lake are caused by reactions between the water and volcanic rock.
Findings like this are sexy because they could solve the world of science’s long-standing problem of explaining how life on Earth emerged. Furthermore, it could be an example for the search for life on other planets such as Mars and Venus.
Since the 1950s, researchers have continued to test how life emerged under conditions called the father of evolutionary theory. They have succeeded in making biological molecules such as amino acids and the building blocks of RNA from inorganic molecules. However, there is a vital problem that has not been resolved for a long time, namely what are the next steps and processes until the emergence of life.
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RNA and DNA, the key molecules of life, as well as the membranes of living cells require a molecular backbone of the naturally occurring element phosphorus, known as phosphate. The problem is, the concentration of phosphate to form biomolecules in the laboratory is up to 1 million times higher than the concentration found in rivers, lakes or oceans. In theories of the emergence of life on Earth, it is known as the ‘phosphate problem’.
Meanwhile, the new research claims the Last Chance soda lake could be the solution. “I think these soda lakes provide an answer to the phosphate problem,” said David Catling, an author of the study and professor of earth and space sciences at the University of Washington.
“Our answer is hopeful: These (lake) conditions should have occurred in the early days of Earth, and perhaps on other planets, because they are simply a natural result of the way planetary surfaces form and the chemistry of water works.”
Why is Soda Lake the Birthplace of Life?
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In addition to high levels of dissolved carbonates and sodium, soda lakes also contain large amounts of phosphate. A study in 2019 revealed that the concentration of these molecules in small waters could reach 1 million times greater than that found in ordinary waters. This means that soda lakes could be ideal places for the emergence of important life molecules.
Salt crust of Last Chance Lake with green algae and black sediment beneath. Image: David Catling/University of Washington
To test this, the University of Washington began researching the soda lake, and settled on it. Last Chance is a 30 cm deep, murky lake found at the end of a dirt road on the Cariboo Plateau, British Columbia, Canada. In the 1990s, the soda lake was found to have the highest phosphate levels.
Last Chance Lake not only has volcanic basalt rock at the bottom, but also experiences a dry and windy climate. This keeps water levels low and dissolved compounds concentrated by rapid evaporation of the incoming water.
2024-01-24 21:18:00
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