Comet impacts rarely delivered enough hydrogen cyanide for life, study finds

New computer simulations indicate that comets rarely delivered enough hydrogen cyanide to trigger the origin of life on early Earth, according to StudyFinds. The findings challenge a century-old scientific hypothesis that icy bodies seeded the young planet with the necessary raw materials for biology. In computer models of early terrestrial comet bombardment, more than half of 100,000 simulation runs failed to yield even a single strike that provided a sufficient concentration of the compound. [1]

Hydrogen cyanide is considered a vital precursor molecule because laboratory experiments use it to synthesize sugars, lipids, and genetic material. The strong chemical bonds within the molecule can power the synthesis of basic biological components. While comets do contain hydrogen cyanide, researchers modeled whether localized impact sites could receive the necessary concentrations to initiate prebiotic chemistry. [1]

A comet is an icy small body in the Solar System composed of ice, dust, and rocky particles that releases gases when passing near the Sun. Scientists long theorized that a crash could deliver a high dose of organic chemicals to a specific location. However, ZME Science reported that the impact process itself likely destroyed the vital ingredients for life carried by these bodies. [1][2][4]

Although the computer simulations revealed that early Earth was unlikely to obtain sufficient chemical ingredients from comet strikes, StudyFinds noted that Mars fared better in the same models. Additional coverage from Yahoo and ZME Science also addressed whether early terrestrial life depended on cometary transport. [1][2][3]