Life comes from space? Rosetta discovers the “building blocks” of DNA on a comet – Intelligonews

Life on Earth comes from the space ? No, not about UFOs, but organic molecules observed for the first time on a comet with no doubt that they are the result of contamination. It is 67P / Churyumov-Gerasimenok, the comet reached and studied by the European Space Agency probe, Rosetta , in 2014. On it were found the glycine and phosphorus , two key elements for the formation of the DNA.

“We already knew that glycine could have assembled in the early stages of solar system formation – says Roberto Battiston , president of the Italian Space – we had also found traces in some meteorites and a comet dust sample brought to Earth by NASA in 2009. But we always had the doubt that the materials had been contaminated by us. This time we observed the comet’s tail without touching it, by measuring the emissions of its spectrum. We are sure to have reliable data “. It’s likely that these bricks to have evolved life as we know it? “On this question – continues Battiston – there is great discussion. But the discovery leads us to think that, on the timing and size of their universe, life can be quite common. Processes such as the one observed by Rosetta can indeed also be occurring elsewhere. Today we know that the Earth is less special than we thought. Since the 90s we have discovered many planets orbiting a star like our own. “

Go back then to come forward the theory that organic molecules could have formed in space, board of planets and comets, harnessing the energy of the sun and the water.