Scientists working on how life began on Earth are taking a step closer to answering that question with some help from cosmic dust. The most unlikely method, however, would have you recreate star dust in a lab - just that.
Researchers at the University of Sydney were inspired by the idea to create similar cosmic dust in their laboratory using a vacuum tube and a mixture of nitrogen, carbon dioxide, and acetylene gases. This process created a type of plasma, or fourth state of matter, which is believed to be present around giant dying stars.
These scientists are working towards understanding the origins of life on Earth by studying meteorites that contain organic compounds, such as those in CHON molecules. The question remains whether these compounds were formed locally on Earth, arrived later as particles from comets and asteroids, or were delivered during the early stages of our solar system forming.
In their lab experiment, Losurdo was able to recreate a unique infrared fingerprint, similar to that found in meteorite samples. This fingerprint revealed its chemical structure and could provide clues about how these compounds formed.
Dr Sara Webb from Swinburne University praised Losurdo's work as "a really beautiful method" for producing something similar to interstellar dust. The possibility of using simulated cosmic dust in other experiments is also an exciting prospect, particularly for simulating early life formation on different types of planets.
The key advantage of recreating cosmic dust in a lab was the ability to apply unique conditions, such as high voltages and controlled environments, that are difficult to replicate in nature. Losurdo emphasized that this recreated dust may not represent every single environment in the universe but rather take a "snapshot" of something physically plausible.
The publication of this research provides new insights into how life began on Earth by studying meteorites containing CHON molecules.
Researchers at the University of Sydney were inspired by the idea to create similar cosmic dust in their laboratory using a vacuum tube and a mixture of nitrogen, carbon dioxide, and acetylene gases. This process created a type of plasma, or fourth state of matter, which is believed to be present around giant dying stars.
These scientists are working towards understanding the origins of life on Earth by studying meteorites that contain organic compounds, such as those in CHON molecules. The question remains whether these compounds were formed locally on Earth, arrived later as particles from comets and asteroids, or were delivered during the early stages of our solar system forming.
In their lab experiment, Losurdo was able to recreate a unique infrared fingerprint, similar to that found in meteorite samples. This fingerprint revealed its chemical structure and could provide clues about how these compounds formed.
Dr Sara Webb from Swinburne University praised Losurdo's work as "a really beautiful method" for producing something similar to interstellar dust. The possibility of using simulated cosmic dust in other experiments is also an exciting prospect, particularly for simulating early life formation on different types of planets.
The key advantage of recreating cosmic dust in a lab was the ability to apply unique conditions, such as high voltages and controlled environments, that are difficult to replicate in nature. Losurdo emphasized that this recreated dust may not represent every single environment in the universe but rather take a "snapshot" of something physically plausible.
The publication of this research provides new insights into how life began on Earth by studying meteorites containing CHON molecules.
, like, every time I accidentally share a embarrassing story or a pic from 5 years ago... it's not like I can just "unpost" something and be done with it. Anyway, back to this cosmic dust thingy. It's kinda cool that scientists are trying to recreate star dust in a lab, but can we talk about how ridiculous it is to have to create a whole new type of matter from scratch? Like, what if they mess up the conditions or something? 
At least now we know more about those meteorites and CHON molecules... I guess that's progress 
, reminds me of that sick movie 'Interstellar' I watched in 2014 lol. So these scientists are trying to recreate star dust in a lab, who would've thought? 
. I mean, if we can create something similar to interstellar dust in a lab, that's like... whoa! The fact that they're using plasma and high voltages makes it all the more interesting 
.
. It's just so cool how scientists are pushing boundaries and trying new things to get answers. And the idea of simulating early life formation on different planets is mind-blowing 
. Fingers crossed they get some awesome findings out of this research! 
. I mean, it's not like they actually created a piece of actual cosmic dust or anything 
, but still, it's like they're getting close to unlocking some pretty big secrets about how life on Earth came to be 
I'm kinda curious about what scientists are trying to figure out with all these cosmic dust experiments... Like, is it even possible for lab-made dust to help us understand how life started on our planet? 
Plus, I'm loving the idea that these researchers are pushing boundaries and exploring unconventional methods to get answers – who knows what other surprises are waiting for us in the universe? 
! researchers at sydney uni are super close to figuring out how life started on earth 
but it's also kinda tricky 
gotta get the right mix of gases and voltages just right 
️ losurdo's work is like, woah 
she made a special fingerprint that shows the chemical structure of these weird molecules 
imagine being able to create conditions in labs that are impossible 2 replicate in nature 
️ using gas mixture + high voltage 
... even though losurdo said it's not every environment in the universe (but more of a snapshot 
.
. but seriously though, I'm all for scientists trying new ways to figure out how life started on our planet. and this method might just be the ticket. the thing is, it's not like they're saying their lab-made dust is exactly like the real deal... more like a blueprint or something. still, it's a step in the right direction, if you ask me 
. This research opens up so many possibilities for studying early life formation on other planets too 
it's pretty mind-blowing that they were able to recreate a unique infrared fingerprint of the stuff which might give clues about how life began on earth 
. That's like, super smart science right there! 
. The fact that Losurdo's recreated dust might not represent every single environment in the universe is a major concern 
. More research and experimentation are needed to truly understand the implications of this discovery 
, it's like they're speaking my language 
.
. But seriously, this research is like taking a giant leap forward in understanding how life on Earth started. Those meteorites are like ancient clues to the origins of our planet