Volcanoes, meteorites and catalysts for life’s origins

By Nina Notman2023-06-30T07:03:00

Source: © Getty Images

Unveiling the role of early Earth’s atmosphere in forming reactive organic molecules

Before life could exist on Earth, there had to be reactive organic molecules. Researchers in Germany believe iron-rich nanoparticles from meteorites and volcanism could have catalysed the conversion of CO₂ in the atmosphere into such molecules on early Earth. Explore this new research with secondary school students and use the story and the accompanying summary slide downloads for a real-world context when studying the formation of the Earth’s atmosphere with your 14–16 learners.

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