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Study Suggests 'Microlightning' in Water Droplets May Have Sparked Life on Earth

Stanford researchers propose that tiny electrical discharges in water sprays created organic molecules essential for life, offering a new perspective on Earth's origins.

  • The study shows that 'microlightning' in water droplets can produce organic molecules like uracil, glycine, and hydrogen cyanide, key components for life.
  • Researchers recreated early Earth conditions by spraying water into a gas mixture of nitrogen, methane, carbon dioxide, and ammonia.
  • This mechanism challenges the Miller-Urey hypothesis by suggesting that frequent water sprays, rather than rare lightning strikes, could have jump-started life.
  • Microlightning occurs when oppositely charged water droplets collide, producing tiny sparks capable of driving chemical reactions.
  • The findings provide a new angle for understanding prebiotic chemistry and the potential origins of life on Earth.
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