Lightning strikes as a major facilitator of prebiotic phosphorus reduction on early Earth.
basic_science · Level V
Where this comes from
- Record sourced from PubMed, PMID 33727565.
- Also identified by DOI 10.1038/s41467-021-21849-2 and PMC identifier 7966383.
- Licence recorded as CC BY.
- The licence permits redistribution, so the abstract is shown in full and the full text is available from the publisher.
Abstract
When hydrated, phosphides such as the mineral schreibersite, (Fe,Ni)<sub>3</sub>P, allow for the synthesis of important phosphorus-bearing organic compounds. Such phosphides are common accessory minerals in meteorites; consequently, meteorites are proposed to be a main source of prebiotic reactive phosphorus on early Earth. Here, we propose an alternative source for widespread phosphorus reduction, arguing that lightning strikes on early Earth potentially formed 10-1000 kg of phosphide and 100-10,000 kg of phosphite and hypophosphite annually. Therefore, lightning could have been a significant source of prebiotic, reactive phosphorus which would have been concentrated on landmasses in tropical regions. Lightning strikes could likewise provide a continual source of prebiotic reactive phosphorus independent of meteorite flux on other Earth-like planets, potentially facilitating the emergence of terrestrial life indefinitely.