The Source of Life Found in a Meteorite That Crashed in the UK

he origin of life on Earth is a subject of ongoing scientific research and debate. There are several theories about how life began on Earth, but no consensus has been reached.

One of the most widely accepted theories is the “abiogenesis” hypothesis, which suggests that life arose naturally from non-living matter through a gradual process of chemical evolution. This process is thought to have begun around 4 billion years ago, when the Earth’s environment was suitable for the formation of simple organic molecules, such as amino acids and nucleotides, through a series of chemical reactions. These molecules then gradually became more complex, eventually leading to the formation of living cells.

Another theory is the “panspermia” hypothesis, which suggests that life on Earth may have been brought here by comets or meteorites that contained microbial life. This theory proposes that life may have originated on another planet, and was then transported to Earth by comets or meteorites, where it took hold and evolved into the diverse forms of life we see today.

The biological examination of the Winchcombe meteorite, which fell to Earth in 2021 and crashed upon a road in Winchcombe, Gloucestershire, has recently become the subject of a new study. Researchers from the Department of Earth Sciences at the Royal Holloway University of London, under the direction of Dr. Queenie Chan, discovered organic chemicals from space that may contain the key to the genesis of life.

The meteorite was once a piece of an asteroid that contained liquid water, and if that asteroid had been given access to the water, a chemical reaction could have taken place, resulting in more molecules changing into amino acids and protein—the building blocks of life. The meteorite analysis revealed a variety of organic matter, indicating that the meteorite was once a piece of that asteroid.

The Winchcombe meteorite is a rare carbon-rich chondritic meteorite that makes up about 4% of all recovered meteorites and contains up to 3.5 weight percent of carbon. It is the first meteorite of this type to be discovered in the United Kingdom and the first with a documented meteorite fall event, with over 1,000 eyewitnesses and copious video evidence of the fireball.

Due to the meteorite’s rapid recovery and curation, the team was able to study the meteorite’s organic composition before it came into contact with the Earth’s environment, despite the fact that Winchcombe’s amino acid abundance is ten times lower than that of other types of carbonaceous chondritic meteorites.

“Meteorite fall happens all year round, however, what makes this meteorite fall so unique is that this is the first meteorite to have been observed by numerous eyewitnesses, recorded, and recovered in the U.K. in the last 30 years.
Dr. Queenie Chan, at Royal Holloway, University of London

“Studying the organic inventory of the Winchcombe meteorite provided us with a window into the past, how simple chemistry kick started the origin of life at the birth of our solar system. Discovering these life’s precursor organic molecules allowed us to comprehend the fall of similar material to the surface of the Earth, prior to the emergence of life on our own planet. It was an honor to be leading the team on the organic analysis of the first ever successful carbonaceous meteorite recovery in the United Kingdom. It was a pleasure and an exciting journey to be working with highly skilled and enthusiastic scientists across the country.”
Dr. Queenie Chan, at Royal Holloway, University of London

In the journal Meteoritics & Planetary Science, the study has been published. Imperial College London and the University of Glasgow collaborated on this study’s broader investigation of the organic examination of the Winchcombe meteorite. If you want to read more specific information, please give the paper a read.