Building Blocks of Life

Earth, lightning and Life

Life on Earth may have originated from microlightning in water droplets: Study

T here are multiple theories that explain the origin of life on Earth, but one of the most disputed ones was proposed in 1953 when two scientists named Stanley Miller and Harold U

Study Finds on MSN · 43m

Tiny lightning bolts discovered in water droplets—and it might explain how life began on Earth

Earth might be creating microscopic lightning bolts—and this electrical phenomenon could have sparked the chemistry of life itself.

Scientific American · 22h

Life on Earth May Have Been Jump-Started by ‘Microlightning’

But real lightning would have struck infrequently—and mostly in open ocean, where organic compounds would have quickly dispersed. If you're enjoying this article, consider supporting our award-winning journalism by subscribing.

Science Daily · 18h

'Microlightning' in water droplets may have sparked life on Earth

A study shows that electrical charges in sprays of water can cause chemical reactions that form organic molecules from inorganic materials. The findings provide evidence that microlightning may have helped create the building blocks necessary for early life on the planet.

New Scientist on MSN · 22h

The surprising new idea behind what sparked life on Earth

We may be starting to get a grasp on what kick-started life on Earth – and it could help us search for it on other planets

PBS7d

Building Blocks of Life Discovered on Distant Asteroid

In January 2025, scientists announced the discovery of organic molecules— the building blocks of life— in samples retrieved from a distant asteroid named Bennu. What can this discovery reveal ...

Small charges in water spray can trigger the formation of key biochemicals

Zare’s team demonstrated the existence of micro-lightning, very small electricity discharges that occur between tiny droplets ...

2don MSN

Spherex: Nasa's cutting-edge telescope searching for the origins of life

Spherex (the Spectro-Photometer for the History of the Universe, Epoch of Reionization and Ices Explorer) will survey ...

SlashGear11d

This NASA Mission Could Reveal Where The Building Blocks Of Life Originated

The SPHEREx mission will map the entire sky in the infrared wavelength to understand the history of the universe itself — and it may even clarify the origin of some of the building blocks of ...

3don MSN

How the brain uses 'building blocks' to navigate social interactions

Our brains use basic "building blocks" of information to keep track of how people interact, enabling us to navigate complex ...

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