Iron sulfides, abundant in early Earth’s hydrothermal systems, may have functioned similarly to cofactors in modern metabolic systems, potentially facilitating essential prebiotic chemical reactions. Previous studies on iron sulfides and the origin of life have focused primarily on deep-sea alkaline hydrothermal vents, where favorable conditions like high temperature, pressure, pH gradients, and hydrogen (H₂) from serpentinization were thought to support prebiotic carbon fixation. However, some scientists have proposed terrestrial hot springs as another plausible setting for life’s origins, as they contain rich mineral content, diverse chemicals, and abundant sunlight.
Recently, a research team from NIGPAS and Japan’s National Institute for Materials Science (NIMS) along with researchers from other institutions, published a new study in Nature Communications on November 28th, 2024. Their research highlights the potential role of iron sulfides in catalyzing the reduction of gaseous carbon dioxide (CO₂) into prebiotic organic molecules through non-enzymatic pathways in early Earth’s terrestrial hot springs. This work offers new insights into Earth’s early carbon cycles and prebiotic chemical reactions, underscoring the significance of iron sulfides in supporting the terrestrial hot spring origin of life hypothesis.
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