Life’s First Energy Source
An obscure compound known as pyrophosphite could have been a source of energy that allowed the first life on Earth to form) (New Theory for Life’s First Energy Source, Corey Zah).
Researchers at the University of Leeds have uncovered new clues to the origins of life on Earth.
The team found that a compound known as pyrophosphite may have been an important energy source for primitive life forms.
There are several conflicting theories of how life on Earth emerged from inanimate matter billions of years ago – a process known as abiogenesis.
"It's a chicken and egg question," said Dr Terry Kee of the University of Leeds, who led the research. "Scientists are in disagreement over what came first – replication, or metabolism. But there is a third part to the equation – and that is energy."
All living things require a continual supply of energy in order to function. This energy is carried around our bodies within certain molecules, one of the best known being ATP*, which converts heat from the sun into a useable form for animals and plants.
