A chemical process that produces methane without living organisms could have warmed up the young Earth – and may complicate the search for life elsewhere
A recently-discovered chemical process could have led to widespread formation of the greenhouse gas methane when Earth was young. The reaction doesn’t involve living organisms, so could have occurred early in our planet’s history.at the Max Planck Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology in Marburg, Germany.
Methane is a common chemical compound: each molecule consists of a single carbon atom surrounded by four hydrogen atoms. It is a greenhouse gas that traps the sun’s heat, warming the planet. . Chemicals containing carbon, sulphur and nitrogen were transformed into methane, driven by highly reactive substances, including electrically-charged iron and reactive oxygen species.Sign up to newsletterto wonder whether the same reaction could occur outside living cells. “There’s iron occurring in nature; there are reactive oxygen species in water,” says Rebelein.
Singapore Latest News, Singapore Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
How a Microbial Evolutionary Accident Changed Earth’s AtmosphereAn extra membrane that once had digestive functions let marine microbes boost their yield from photosynthesis. Today, they’re responsible for locking carbon in the ocean and putting oxygen in the air.
Read more »
10 Incredible Lord Of The Rings Cosplays That Transport You Straight To Middle-earthNothing says fantasy like The Lord of the Rings. Elves, Dwarves, Hobbits, and Dark Lords make excellent subjects for some fantastical cosplay.
Read more »
Taylor Swift fans literally move earth for superstar during Seattle showsA seismologist says two concerts in Seattle generated seismic activity comparable to a 2.3 magnitude earthquake.
Read more »
NuView Aims To Map Earth In 3D Using Satellite Based LiDARTerrestrial LiDAR for 3D imaging has matured in the last decade. LiDAR for sustainable space mapping is more complex. NuView intends to disrupt this market.
Read more »
Europe's trailblazing wind satellite comes to a fiery end above EarthThe European Space Agency spacecraft entered the atmosphere and burned up on Friday (July 28).
Read more »
Russian scientists have grown watermelons in the coldest place on EarthScientists in Antarctica did the unimaginable: They grew a bounty of watermelons while living on the ice-cold continent.
Read more »