What's happened
Research suggests that the S2 meteorite impact, occurring 3.26 billion years ago, may have created conditions that allowed early life to flourish rather than perish. The findings indicate that the impact stirred nutrients in the ocean, benefiting microbial populations.
Why it matters
What the papers say
According to Jen Mills from Metro, the S2 meteorite's impact was so significant that it caused the ocean to boil and triggered the largest tsunami ever recorded. Nadja Drabon, an early-Earth geologist from Harvard, emphasized that while impacts are typically seen as disastrous, they might have allowed life to flourish by redistributing essential nutrients. Andrew Griffin from The Independent echoed this sentiment, noting that the conditions post-impact led to a rapid recovery of bacterial life, particularly iron-metabolizing organisms. Nina Massey also highlighted the beneficial aspects of the impact, suggesting that it could be a key piece in understanding early life on Earth. The findings were published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, indicating a shift in how scientists view the relationship between meteorite impacts and the evolution of life.
How we got here
Meteorite impacts were common on early Earth, often viewed as catastrophic events for life. However, recent studies indicate that some impacts, like that of the S2 meteorite, may have had beneficial effects on early life forms.
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