Researchers Suggest Life Could Have Existed On The Moon
- 6 years ago
The moon doesn’t appear to have what it takes to support life now, but researchers suggest that wasn’t always the case.
The moon doesn't appear to have what it takes to support life now, but researchers suggest that wasn't always the case. According to a release from Washington State University, the team says: "conditions on the lunar surface were sufficient to support simple lifeforms shortly after the moon formed from a debris disk 4 billion years ago and again during a peak in lunar volcanic activity around 3.5 billion years ago." Planetary scientists at large believe that, during those times, "the moon was spewing out large quantities of superheated volatile gases, including water vapor, from its interior." The team expands upon that assessment, stating, "this outgassing could have formed pools of liquid water on the lunar surface and an atmosphere dense enough to keep it there for millions of years."
The university's statement also mentions how life could have originated there. "The earliest evidence for life on Earth comes from fossilized cyanobacteria that are between 3.5 and 3.8 billion years old. During this time, the solar system was dominated by frequent and giant meteorite impacts. It is possible that meteorites containing simple organisms like cyanobacteria could have been blasted off the surface of the Earth and landed on the moon," the research team notes.
The moon doesn't appear to have what it takes to support life now, but researchers suggest that wasn't always the case. According to a release from Washington State University, the team says: "conditions on the lunar surface were sufficient to support simple lifeforms shortly after the moon formed from a debris disk 4 billion years ago and again during a peak in lunar volcanic activity around 3.5 billion years ago." Planetary scientists at large believe that, during those times, "the moon was spewing out large quantities of superheated volatile gases, including water vapor, from its interior." The team expands upon that assessment, stating, "this outgassing could have formed pools of liquid water on the lunar surface and an atmosphere dense enough to keep it there for millions of years."
The university's statement also mentions how life could have originated there. "The earliest evidence for life on Earth comes from fossilized cyanobacteria that are between 3.5 and 3.8 billion years old. During this time, the solar system was dominated by frequent and giant meteorite impacts. It is possible that meteorites containing simple organisms like cyanobacteria could have been blasted off the surface of the Earth and landed on the moon," the research team notes.