Meteorites Brought Ingredients of Life To Earth

Meshach writes "A new analysis of a meteorite found in Antarctica is leading scientists to think that life on Earth may have come from outer space. Chemical analysis of the meteorite shows it to be rich in ammonia and containing the element nitrogen. Nitrogen is found in the proteins and DNA that form the basis of life as we know it. The prevailing theory is that our planet may have been seeded by a comet or asteroid because the formative Earth might not have been able to provide the full inventory of simple molecules needed for the processes which led to primitive life."

And what seeded the comet or asteroid?

[thepainguy]

Seriously, I find ideas like this to be unsatisfying because they just pass the buck. Why is it any more likely that life would arise in a comet, asteroid, or other planet than it would be for life to arise on earth? Maybe if the earth was wiped clean by some cataclysm, but I don't know of anyone who's proposed that.

Re:Yes, but....

[Afforess]

I'm not an expert - so I may be wrong here.

As I understand it, life evolved QUICKLY on Earth. I mean, we went from a barren rock with magma flows and some water to teeming lakes of bacterium in the blink of an eye. (Relatively speaking). Only 500 million years after the heavy bombardment from meteors, and a mere 25 million years after the moon formed, Prokaryotes and Eukaryotes formed. As far as the universe goes, that's hardly any time at all.

The best explaniation for this rapid growth is that life didn't actually have to start here, but came from meteorites.

Again, I am not an expert, just an interested college student. Anyone with real knowledge, please correct me.