Do you believe in Panspermia origin of life on Earth? That meteors, comets, dust, asteroids delivered life here? Evidentiary support continue to grow?

Question

PLEASE NO INTELLIGENT DESIGN, CREATIONISM OR "GOD WORKS IN MYSTERIOUS WAYS". STICK TO THE SCIENCE!

https://www.azolifesciences.com/article/What-is-the-Panspermia-Hypothesis.aspx

The article and video above give more background.

The main theories on the origin of life on Earth include: the Oparin-Haldane theory (primordial soup), the hydrothermal vent theory, the panspermia theory, the RNA world hypothesis, the "life began in clay" theory, and the theory that life originated in deep-sea vents; all of which propose different environments and conditions where the first life forms could have emerged from non-living matter through a process called abiogenesis.

Key points about each theory:

Oparin-Haldane theory (Primordial soup):

This theory suggests that life arose in a shallow ocean where simple organic molecules, formed from atmospheric chemicals by UV radiation, accumulated in a "primordial soup" and eventually combined to form life.

Hydrothermal vent theory:

This theory proposes that life originated near deep-sea hydrothermal vents, where hot, mineral-rich fluids from the Earth's mantle interact with cold ocean water, providing energy and chemical building blocks for early life forms.

Panspermia theory:

This theory suggests that life on Earth came from space, with microorganisms traveling on meteorites or comets and landing on Earth.

RNA world hypothesis:

This theory proposes that RNA molecules, which can both store genetic information and act as enzymes, were the first life forms and later evolved into DNA-based life.

"Clay" theory:

This recent theory suggests that clay minerals provided a surface for the necessary chemical reactions to occur, concentrating and organizing organic molecules to form early lifes tructures.

RavVid · Accepted Answer

I recently went to Western Australia and had the pleasure of seeing the oldest extant life form - Stromatololites. And the oldest rocks found to date (from Zircon crystal dating).

Stromies, as I prefer to call them to indicate my affection for them and as an Australian I have to shorten & append 'ies' to them, are cyano bacteria colonies that pumped out lots of oxygen. I've seen a brief of a paper that indicates they are the origin of all life forms on earth. I have zero chance of understanding the dna stuff behind it so I am just accepting it (and partly because I really want it to be so ).

My mates the Stromies were kicking around 4 billion years ago. We know the rocks are 4.3ish billion years old and our solar system is rated about 4.5 bill. Solar system Meteorites are about that old too.

Stromies got pumping out oxygen pretty damned quick after the earth was formed is the key point.

I am inclined to think Panspermia is a self defeating unnecessary hypothesis.

Complex chemicals have been detected external to the earth. Which indicates it is not unlikely they will be created on earth. In which case they could just as easily been created on earth without need to have been shipped in from elsewhere.

Regardless of preferred theory we are hypothesizing life arouse from complex chemicals interacting and eventually becoming recreating. Panspermia is unnecessary. Against that there is a theory water on earth came from a comet with possibly spores in it. I don't know how true - all this stuff is conjecture at heart.

The Miller-Urey experiment studied the effect of lightning in a composition of earth's early atmosphere. It did indeed produce organic chemicals including amino acids to produce a primordial soup. Proof complex chemicals could arise on earth without a FEDEX factor.

I am inclined to the Clay and RNA theories though life came about in the sea. I only think that because there would seem to more chance if there were concentration of the primordial soup. Stromies love mud by the way and form big mud boulders from silt.

There's a thought Oldest Life Form --> Origin of other lifeforms --> big mud boulders out of silt (clay and sand).

It was the Silt of Life where it all happened!

Ladsin2 · Accepted Answer

It's not an either or scenario, multiple of these would've had to been concomitant. Lawrence Krauss' "A Universe From Nothing: Why There's Something Rather Than Nothing" has an interesting quote something like, "The amazing thing is that every atom in your body came from a star that exploded, and the atoms in your left hand probably came from a different star than your right hand. It really is the most poetic thing I know about physics. You are all stardust. You couldn’t be here if stars hadn’t exploded because the elements—the carbon, nitrogen, oxygen, iron, all the things that matter for evolution—weren’t created at the beginning of time. They were created in the nuclear furnaces of stars, and the only way they could get... into your body is if these stars were kind enough to explode. So, forget Jesus. The stars died so that you could be here today."
Do I think life formed elsewhere first and then migrated here? I see no evidence of that, but I think that it doesn't matter. We're born of star-stuff anyway.

Lliam · Answer

I don't know. They all sound plausible, but I'm not a chemist or biologist.

I think it's entirely possible for molecules like amino acids and proteins to form under the right conditions. Either UV radiation or hydrothermal vents could have provided the energy to allow those molecules to form into more complex forms like primitive, single cell organisms. And, over time, those single cells could have combined to form multi-cell organisms.

"The earliest life forms we know of were microscopic organisms (microbes) that left signals of their presence in rocks about 3.7 billion years old."

Could a "Creator" have gotten the dynamic universe and the possibility of evolution started? I don't know. It's possible, but I doubt it.

One thing for sure, I don't believe in the silly Biblical creation theory.

jshm2 · Answer

Depends, as it's still up in the air if abiogenesis to multicellular is even possible,. To date there have been zero evidence for it. We have single cells and multi cells. Nothing making the "switch" to the other.

We DO know that viruses and bacteria can travel on comets and space dust. But it's irrelevant if it's just "junk" travelling around and doing nothing. Just as we know common dust can travel around a city, but does nothing useful.

OtterMan68 · Answer

I don't believe life just popped into existence from non-living material. Seems like a miracle for that to happen.

Xawyx · Answer

I think it was a combination, life on Earth came from space, with microorganisms traveling on meteorites or comets, and then those microbes caused the primordial soup.

Maybe_Maybe_not · Answer

Looks plausible, yep !

exitseven · Answer

No, an ancient advanced race had deposited humanoids all around the galaxy.

slatyb · Answer

Seems quite unlikely. Of course we don't know, and may never know for certain. The Panspermia hypothesis just kicks the can down the road.

Texaskid1 · Answer

It is a hypothesis. I know that certain meteoroids have been found that have complex proteins in them.  So who knows.

AviatorTom · Answer

As @exitseven pointed out, you forgot the space migration theory. They are all theories, each has its own merits, and we may never know which one is right.

Dargil · Answer

No I believe G0d created life here and He is still at it. I agree with Intelligent design. Don't bother me with any nonsense about it having been debunked.

MrGSpotHer · Answer

The gods used all these methods you don't have that answer though 😔

Anonymous · Answer

No, I do not believe in this false theory. My belief is that God created the universe and all life on Earth.

RedInnocent69 · Answer

Beats me. I’m open to scientific concensus.

Likes2drive · Answer

Panspermia theory seems more likely to me

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