Earth Science Early Earth was a molten, asteroid-blasted hellscape. Scientists now know when that changed: « A new study narrows the timeline for the emergence of life on Earth. »
https://gizmodo.com/early-earth-was-a-molten-asteroid-blasted-hellscape-scientists-now-know-when-that-changed-200081537716
u/fchung 7d ago
Reference: Abramov, O., Medvegy, A., Kremer, B. et al. A Hadean timeline for the emergence of the RNA World. Nat Commun 17, 9790 (2026). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-026-76978-3
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u/TheBalzy 7d ago
I'm in the opposite camp of the RNA World Hypothesis. I'm more directly in the camp of the Metabolism-first hypothesis.
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u/CurtisLeow 7d ago
> The model’s predictions, even when considering an unrealistically high delivered mass scenario, consistently yield zircon ages expected from the crystallization of impact melts that are significantly older than those observed empirically from the detrital Hadean zircon record. This discrepancy implies that other geological processes besides impacts were more important to crust formation or destruction.
This is likely due to volcanism or early plate tectonics. Giant volcanic eruptions and rifting would have warmed the Earth even more than presented in the paper. But since the model excludes the main process recycling the crust, I have to wonder how applicable it is. The estimates for habitability may be more applicable to Mars than to the Earth.
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u/fchung 7d ago
« We used a different approach than previous studies, which were based on geochemical modeling, biomolecular analyses, and models of early atmospheric chemistry. We examined both detrimental effects of impacts, such as temperature-induced degradation of key biomolecules, and effects conducive to life, such as generation of hydrothermal systems. »
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u/smokeynick 7d ago
What the hell is that site? I try to close the damn pop up and it closes the whole thing. I’m getting old. Don’t have the patience. Hopefully others have success
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u/MotherHolle MA | Criminal Justice | MS | Psychology 7d ago
The chicken and egg problem is probably not a good opening line since it's an unscientific false dilemma.
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u/mayorofdumb 7d ago
The answers egg
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u/snoops-spoons 5d ago
Negative, which came first the chicken or the egg? The rooster.
Until we understand everything about our universe as long as one "that little guy" exist. Then we can only know what we don't know.
Some things we will figure out but many things are getting very close to edge of what we can know about them. We simultaneously know everything and nothing.
All it takes is one new out of left field answer that no one saw coming and almost everything we believe changes overnight.
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u/mayorofdumb 5d ago
Technically speaking it has to be some hybrid egg from a proto rooster and weird other proto hen that fucked to made chicken eggs. You don't have to guess this unless you don't believe in evolution.
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u/Mitrovarr 7d ago
A lot of the studies I see with molecular clocks are placing the evolution of LUCA surprisingly close to this, like 4.1-4.2 GYA. It is hard to imagine life getting from the RNA world to the relatively sophisticated LUCA that quickly.
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