New research in AGU Advances suggests that asteroid impacts on early Earth created vast hydrothermal systems within the crust that could have fostered the beginning of life.

How this affects you

This research provides new insights into how life may have originated on Earth, suggesting asteroid impacts, typically associated with destruction, played a crucial role in creating hospitable environments for prebiotic chemistry deep within the planet's crust. It recontextualizes our understanding of early planetary conditions and the unique confluence of factors necessary for life to emerge.