Deep-Earth carbons sheds fresh light on origin of life

A new research has revealed the long unknown details about carbon deep beneath the Earth's surface which have given clues regarding the origin of life on earth.

The team of researchers showed that carbon dioxide and methane already documented deep in subduction zones, there exists a rich variety of organic carbon species that could spark the formation of diamonds and perhaps even become food for microbial life.

Sverjensky, a professor in the Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, said that it was a very exciting possibility that these deep fluids might transport building blocks for life into the shallow Earth," said. "This may be a key to the origin of life itself."

Sverjensky's theoretical model, called the 'Deep Earth Water' model, allowed the team to determine the chemical makeup of fluids in the Earth's mantle, expelled from descending tectonic plates. Some of the fluids, those in equilibrium with mantle peridotite minerals, contained the expected carbon dioxide and methane. But others, those in equilibrium with diamonds and eclogitic minerals, contained dissolved organic carbon species including a vinegar-like acetic acid.

The team also suggested that these mantle fluids with dissolved organic carbon species could be creating diamonds in a previously unknown way. Scientists have long believed diamond formation resulted through chemical reactions starting with either carbon dioxide or methane. The organic species offer a range of different starting materials, and an entirely new take on the creation of the gemstones.

The study is published this week in the journal Nature Geoscience.