It ‘was a comet to bring life to Earth? The amino acid glycine and traces of phosphorus, as crucial components to explain the origin of life on our planet, were found on the comet 67 / P Churyumov-Gerasimenko reached two years ago by Rosetta and Philae lander during the mission lasting more than 30 years of planning and trip and that the Times considered it “the greatest feat of mankind.” Now a note from the European Space adds tremendous value to the exploration accomplished after a flight of 10 years and 6.5 billion kilometers from the orbiter and the probe landed small robot on the comet.
In particular, the amino acid glycine, which is commonly found in proteins, it is a kind of obsession with the esoricercatori that for years arguing over whether organic molecules have been brought on the “young” Earth from asteroids and comets remains. The presence of glycine in space has increased over the last thirty years by repeated announcements to as many denials. Only in 2002 it considered the final confirmation by the Taiwan University but based on the examination of signals picked up by radio telescopes. Not cheap, but needed something more concrete to fuel hopes and further research on the origin of life on Earth due to contamination from outside (panspermia). Also important is the discovery of traces of phosphorus, decisive component of DNA and cell membranes.
As reported today by Science Advances, labile testimonies of simple amino acids like glycine had been detected in samples of comet Wild 2 obtained in 2006 by NASA’s Stardust mission. But the analysis was not considered decisive for the possible terrestrial contamination of samples.
An entirely different thickness data obtained through Rosetta probe with a large degree of Italian technology, analyzing repeatedly and from different distances in 2015 and 2015, the rarefied atmosphere dellla comet. “And ‘the first unambiguous detection of glycine in a comet,” said Kathrin Altwegg, principal researcher thanks to the “Rosina” tool that has the article format.
To scientists those testimonies of Glycine is contained in the “lot of dust” that wraps with varying degrees of intensity of the comet, a “tail” of the comet shining like the one that four billion years ago may have led life on Earth.
“There is still much uncertainty regarding the chemistry that was present on the early Earth, and there is also, of course, an enormous evolutionary gap to be filled between the arrival of these ingredients with cometary impacts, and the occurrence of life, “says Hervé Cottin, the study’s co-author. “The most important aspect is that comets have not got to change over the past 4.5 billion years, and then provide us with a direct access to some of the ingredients that are probably finished in the great prebiotic soup that led to life on Earth ». “Rosetta confirms – said the President of ASI Roberto Battiston – that comets are the messengers who come from far away to tell us about the complexity of the universe. The discovery of glycine amino acid and phosphorus, a key component of DNA, on the comet 67P / Churyumov-Gerasimenko, endorse the theory that asteroids and comets have played an important role in transporting to the Universe at least some of the basic elements of life. They are just small pieces of a complex truth. With the next ones will be other data. once again, the choice made by the European Space to go hunting for comets and land on (a European record and also Italian) proves important for the scientific results that is leading. ”
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