The theory of evolution is primarily used to explain how things in the world began. The beginning of the life on earth has become so complex it seemed impossible to explain. Some say that it is quite impossible for life to come from something that doesn't even have life in it.
The popular hypothesis, however, says that it is in the deepest parts of the ocean that life on Earth began. It is where the hydrothermal vents seemed to have provided just the right chemical reactions to make life possible. However, the recently released study conducted by the researchers from the MIT shows that the ocean might not have enough nitrogen content that could make life making possible. Yet, shallow ponds seem to have just the right amount of nitrogen.
Nitrogen plays a key role in the transition from non-life to life. The explanation to this is pretty simple. Scientists believe that when the primitive RNA is mixed with nitrogenous oxides, the RNA will be chemically induced allowing it to create the first forms of amino acids. It is from there that the first organisms are formed. The source of these nitrogenous oxides is the rain that pours down on the surface after the lighting strikes and the bonds of nitrogen are formed in the atmosphere.
According to the new study, these nitrogenous oxides couldn't have possibly lasted long enough to reach the hypothermal vents of the deep sea. The team has pointed out two significant factors that must have been missed out in the past -- ultraviolet rays of the sun and the iron from dissolved rocks.
"Our study shows that if these two factors were considered, they will be able to suppress the concentrations of the nitrogenous oxides by a factor of 1,000," says Sukrit Ranjan, the lead author of the recent study.
So if the deepest parts of the ocean didn't have what is needed to form life, where could have lifes started? According to the study of the MIT team, shallow ponds are the better option because they have less volume that makes it easy for compounds to be evenly diluted. The higher concentrations of nitrogenous oxides in these ponds could easily build up giving molecules of RNA a better chance to interact and produce amino acids
"The overall message of this new findings is this: if you believe that the beginning of life requires a fixed amount of nitrogen, then it would be impossible to start life in the ocean," Ranjan said. "It is more likely to happen in the pond."
The idea behind the beginning of life may not really be a game changer for now. The idea of it has been thought of and considered in the past. However, it does provide researchers will something new to work around with.
The results of the study was published in the journal Geochemistry, Geophysics, Geosystems.
