Signs of Life Found in 4.5 Billion Year Old Meteorites
A group of scientists recently found evidence of the ingredients for life in two meteorites that landed on Earth some 20 years ago. The two specimens, named Zag and Monahans, were found when one crashed near a group of boys playing basketball in Texas, while the other crash landed in Morocco a few months later.
According to a study published in Science Advances the meteorites contain liquid water, carbon, oxygen, and nitrogen trapped inside salt crystals. One scientist compared the finding to a fly trapped in amber, as the meteorites are likely to be 4.5 billion years old and contain the basic elements necessary for life.
“This is really the first time we have found abundant organic matter also associated with liquid water that is really crucial to the origin of life and the origin of complex organic compounds in space,” said Queenie Chan, the study’s lead author and planetary scientist at The Open University in the U.K.
The meteorites are thought to have originated from two celestial bodies,Hebe and Ceres, that orbit in the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter. It is thought that, due to the similarity of the meteorites, the two may have impacted each other and mixed material.
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NASA scientists have been intrigued by Ceres lately, continuing the Dawn spacecraft’s mission to study the dwarf planet two and a half years longer than intended.
Ceres is the largest object within the asteroid belt and could potentially harbor life. NASA believes that there once may have been a vast ocean on the dwarf planet and are sending Dawn within 20 miles of Ceres to study its surface.
There are still other preserved crystals from the meteorites that have yet to be studied by scientists who are hoping to find further evidence of liquid water and other life-supporting elements.
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Is Rh-Negative Blood Alien In Origin?
For decades, the origin of Rh-negative blood has puzzled scientists. While most humans carry the Rhesus (Rh) factor protein—inherited from a common ancestor—a small percentage of the population does not. This biological anomaly has led to both scientific and metaphysical theories, from evolutionary mutation to ancient alien crossbreeding.
Table of Contents
- What Is Rh-Negative Blood?
- Ancient and Spiritual Theories on Rh-Negative Blood
- Where Is Rh-Negative Blood Most Common?
- Frequently Asked Questions About Rh-Negative Blood
What Is Rh-Negative Blood?
Discovered in 1940, Dr. Karl Landsteiner and Alexander S. Wiener, the Rh factor is a protein on the surface of red blood cells, named after the Rhesus macaque monkey. Blood lacking this protein is called Rh-negative. This is a critical factor in human health, especially during pregnancy.
- Rh Incompatibility: If an Rh-negative woman is pregnant with an Rh-positive baby, her body may produce antibodies that attack the fetus, a condition known as hemolytic disease.
- Medical Solutions: Modern medicine uses Rh-D immunoglobulin to prevent this reaction, ensuring the safety of both mother and baby.
This biological incompatibility between Rh-negative and Rh-positive types is a key point for those who question its evolutionary origin.
