3.26 Billion Years Ago, Meteorite Impact Brought New Opportunities for the Evolution of Life on Earth | WPN World People News

Around 3.26 billion years ago, a massive meteorite struck the Earth, triggering a disaster far greater than the event that led to the extinction of the dinosaurs. However, recent research suggests that this impact might not have been merely destructive but could have played a crucial role in fostering early life on Earth, becoming a significant boost for the origin of life.

The study, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, indicates that the meteorite crashed during the Paleoarchean Era in the Barberton Greenstone Belt in northeastern South Africa. The impactor was 50 to 200 times larger than the one that caused the extinction of the dinosaurs, leading to a global catastrophe. Nevertheless, researchers discovered preserved organic material and traces of marine microorganisms in ancient rocks from the area, suggesting that life rapidly recovered and even thrived after the disaster.

Researchers note that the Earth at that time was vastly different from today—essentially a water world with limited volcanic and landmass, with an atmosphere and oceans almost devoid of oxygen, and no complex eukaryotic cells. The impact was exceptionally violent, instantly vaporizing sediments and rocks, creating a dust cloud that enveloped the globe, plunging the Earth into darkness and causing sunlight-dependent microorganisms to nearly go extinct.

The study’s lead author, Harvard University geologist Nadja Drabon, noted that the meteorite likely carried significant amounts of critical nutrients, such as phosphorus and iron, which were crucial for the single-celled organisms that dominated the Earth, including bacteria and archaea. Tsunamis and large-scale ocean mixing merged deep, iron-rich waters with surface waters, creating an ideal environment for microorganisms to flourish. Such a large impact event might have provided simple microorganisms with new opportunities for survival, laying the groundwork for the later biodiversity on Earth.

Co-author Andrew Knoll stated that the meteorite might have been similar to modern carbonaceous chondrites, with a diameter of 37 to 58 kilometers. Although the impact caused drastic environmental changes, it also provided essential nutrients for microorganisms, injecting new possibilities into the evolution of life. Scientists believe that such an impact event might not have been merely a disaster but rather a "giant fertilizer bomb" that enabled the early proliferation of life.

This study demonstrates that meteorite impacts were not solely about destruction but might have been opportunities for rebirth. The simple life forms of early Earth exhibited remarkable resilience in adapting to the changes brought by the meteorite. It also reminds us that the origins and development of life might have unfolded in ways we did not anticipate.