From early Earth to Enceladus-mineral electrochemistry could drive organic synthesis.
basic_science · Level V
Where this comes from
- Record sourced from PubMed, PMID 41957376.
- Also identified by DOI 10.1038/s41467-026-71131-6 and PMC identifier 13066395.
- 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
Hydrothermal systems in the ocean can behave like fuel cells when minerals connect reduced vent fluids to oxidized seawater, sustaining electrical potentials that drive reactivity. A <i>Nature Communications</i> study experimentally demonstrates how that potential could reduce CO<sub>2</sub> on minerals to form organic products under conditions relevant from the early Earth to Enceladus.