Microlightning may have sparked life's building blocks

Scientists say that tiny electrical sparks, called "microlightning," could have helped create the building blocks of life on early Earth. These sparks happen when water droplets move, such as in sea spray, causing them to develop different electrical charges. About four billion years ago, Earth was a lifeless place. It had crashing waves and streams, but lacked complex life forms. However, it had the right elements—carbon, nitrogen, and others—needed to create life. The challenge was how to form the complex molecules necessary for living cells. Researchers led by chemist Richard Zare from Stanford University suggest that "microlightning" provided the energy needed for these chemical reactions. This occurs when tiny droplets in moving water develop electrical charges that allow electrons to jump between them, resembling mini lightning strikes. In recent experiments, the team sprayed water vapor mixed with gases similar to those on early Earth. They discovered that these tiny flashes of electricity generated complex molecules like the amino acid glycine and uracil, a component of RNA. This new idea builds on the classic Miller-Urey experiment from 1952, which suggested that life began from lightning striking the primordial oceans. Critics argued that this was unlikely since lightning occurrences are rare over vast oceans. However, if microlightning occurred in the common sprays of water, it could better explain how life began and address concerns about the original hypothesis. Zare believes that these tiny sparks could have been everywhere on early Earth, creating the necessary conditions for life to emerge.