RNA, the genetic material believed to be among the first forms of life’s blueprint, can spontaneously assemble in basaltic lava glass, a discovery that hints at how life might have begun on the early Earth.
Researchers reported this finding, which carries profound implications for tracing the origin of life on Earth and possibly on Mars, in the journal Astrobiology. The study emerged from the Foundation for Applied Molecular Evolution, adding a pivotal piece to the puzzle of how simple molecules could have evolved into self-replicating systems.
Basaltic glass was widespread on Earth about 4.35 billion years ago, and similar volcanic materials, along with Martian geology, suggest a shared chemical stage for early biogenesis between the two planets.
“Researchers studying the origins of life have debated these processes for years,” noted a co-author of the work. The path from chemistry to biology is intricate, and explaining the full transition remains a scientific challenge.
RNA and DNA often appear together in discussions of early life. In this study, the team showed that long RNA strands, composed of 100 to 200 nucleotides, can form when nucleoside triphosphates migrate through basaltic glass without being consumed by other reactions. This simple exposure appears to favor the spontaneous assembly of RNA under plausible ancient Earth conditions.
“Basaltic glass dominated Earth’s surface at that time,” said a participating Earth scientist. “In the period shortly after the Moon formed, asteroid impacts and widespread volcanism produced molten basaltic lava, which cooled into glassy surfaces. The drying of water created dry land and formed aquifers where RNA could emerge.” These environmental shifts also contributed to the formation of nickel, a mineral element that the team showed helps generate nucleoside triphosphates from nucleosides and activated phosphate, a process mirrored in lava glass. Borate, a mineral related to borax, helps regulate the creation of these triphosphates, once again facilitated by basaltic glass.”
The same effects that molded the glass also temporarily lowered atmospheric pressure and altered the atmosphere by removing metallic elements like iron and nickel. Under such conditions, RNA bases—whose sequences store genetic information—can assemble. The researchers had previously demonstrated that these bases form through a straightforward reaction between ribose phosphate and the components of RNA bases.
a simple model
“What makes this model appealing is its simplicity. It’s the kind of experiment high school students could attempt in a chemistry class,” remarked a scientist not directly involved in the project but who has developed tools to detect alien genetic polymers on Mars. “Mix the ingredients, wait a few days, and you can observe RNA emerge.”
The researchers argue that this line of work completes a plausible route from basic organic molecules, likely present on early Earth, to RNA strands long enough to support Darwinian evolution. The idea envisions a single geological pathway from small two‑carbon or one‑carbon molecules to RNA molecules capable of carrying information and catalyzing early life-like processes.
“Significant questions still need answers,” cautioned a senior researcher. “Homochirality, the uniform handedness of RNA components, remains not fully understood. The bonds linking nucleotides formed in basaltic-glass environments may vary, and the broader significance is still uncertain.”
Mars enters the discussion because the same minerals, glass, and impact history that shaped early Earth would have existed there as well. Unlike Earth, Mars did not undergo the same scale of continental drift and plate tectonics, leaving a more accessible archive of ancient rocks on its surface. Subsequent missions have located suitable rocks, including borate-bearing minerals, supporting the idea that the raw materials for RNA formation could have been present there too.
“If life could arise through this straightforward chemistry on Earth, it would be reasonable to think Mars could have experienced a similar origin,” the researchers concluded. The findings strengthen the case for pursuing life-detection missions on Mars with renewed urgency.
Reference work: doi:10.1126/science.add3257
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