Deep-sea hydrothermal electricity elucidates origin of life: Proposal of Electro-Iron-Sulfur World theory

2015 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 26610188
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Exploratory Research
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Geochemistry/Cosmochemistry
• Research Institution: Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology
• Principal Investigator: YAMAMOTO Masahiro 国立研究開発法人海洋研究開発機構, 深海・地殻内生物圏研究分野, 研究員 (60435849)
• Project Period (FY): 2014-04-01 – 2016-03-31
• Keywords: アストロバイオロジー / 生命の起源 / 化学進化 / 熱水噴出孔 / 電気化学

Outline of Final Research Achievements

I performed on-site measurement of redox potential on the surfaces of minerals around deep-sea hydrothermal vents, and proved that electricity generated in vent wall between hydrothermal fluid and seawater. It was also supported by laboratory experiment of measurement of redox potential on sulfide minerals in electrochemical cell. In addition, we observed that parts of primitive organic metabolic pathways were driven by controlled potential on the surface of sulfide minerals in electrochemical cells. These findings support the hypothesis that origin of life occurred on deep-sea hydrothermal vent.

Free Research Field

アストロバイオロジー