Scientists have discovered extraterrestrial material inside a crater on Earth which they believe could rewrite what we know about life itself. Researchers studying the Hapcheon crater found layered rock structures known as stromatolites inside the only confirmed asteroid crater on the Korean Peninsula.
Stromatolites are formed by microbes and are among the oldest evidence of life on Earth. Scientists believe the unusual structures appeared inside a warm lake rich in minerals created after a huge asteroid struck Earth millions of years ago. Geochemical testing has shown traces of extraterrestrial material mixed in the formations.
The experts believe the crater might have been a natural incubator for early life. Their study raises questions as to whether the building blocks of life are linked to space matter.
Dr Jaesoo Lim, the study’s lead author, is quoted by the Mail as saying: “This is the first comprehensive evidence suggesting that stromatolites could form in hydrothermal lakes created by asteroid impacts.
“Such environments may have provided favourable conditions for early microbial ecosystems.”
He told Science News geochemical analyses of the stromatolites revealed several key features.
These included signatures of both extraterrestrial material and surrounding bedrock as well as evidence of alteration by high-temperature water.
The study suggests the Hapcheon impact event happened about 42,300 years ago.
Dr Jaesoo Lim said: “The findings offer new insight into the Great Oxidation Event, a period around 2.4 billion years ago when oxygen levels in Earth’s atmosphere rose dramatically.
“Impact-generated, hydrothermal lakes could have served as localised habitats where oxygen-producing microbes could thrive.
“These environments may have formed what the team describes as oxygen oases.”
In addition to its remarkable findings about extraterrestrial material, the study raises the possibility comparable environments might have existed on early Mars.
As Mars is believed to have hosted water-filled impact craters in its early history, crater environments could be targets in the search for evidences of past life on the red planet.
