Origin Of Life - GoKawiil

Study: Comet Impacts Unlikely Source of Life's Chemical Building Blocks

New computer simulations examined whether prehistoric comet impacts could have delivered key prebiotic chemicals like hydrogen cyanide (HCN) to early Earth. Researcher Anslow found that even in a successful impact, HCN would likely not survive the collision and would dissolve if the comet struck an ocean. The analysis also noted that other essential precursor molecules containing phosphorus and sulfur are not commonly found in comets.

science.slashdot.org · 2026-10-31

Cambridge study casts doubt on comets as source of life's building blocks

Researchers led by Cambridge astronomer Richard Anslow modeled comet impacts and found that the heat and force of atmospheric entry would destroy organic molecules before they could reach Earth's surface, with survivors vaporized on impact. The findings, published in Scientific Reports, challenge the long-held theory that comets seeded early Earth with the chemical precursors of life.

futurism.com · 2026-10-31