An iron meteorite from the core of a melted planetesimal (left) and a chondrite meteorite, derived from a ‘primitive’, unmelted planetesimal (right). Credit: Rayssa Martins/Ross Findlay

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   Fraser Cain (fraser@m.universetoday.com)'s status on Saturday, 19-Oct-2024 12:43:37 JST Fraser Cain

   The raw materials for life were likely delivered to the early Earth through a bombardment of asteroids and comets. One example is zinc, which seems to have arrived from across the Solar System—half from beyond the orbit of Jupiter. It appears that the planetesimals that remained far from the Sun and retained their volatile elements were responsible for most of the key chemicals for life delivered to Earth. Those too close to the Sun were stripped of these chemicals.

   https://www.cam.ac.uk/research/news/how-did-the-building-blocks-of-life-arrive-on-earth