Scientists Discover Organic Molecules on Sutter's Mill Meteorite (Video)

Could life have come to Earth on a meteorite? That might be the case. Scientists have discovered that the Sutter's Mill meteorite, which exploded in a blazing fireball over California last year, contains organic molecules not previously found in any meteorites. The findings reveal that there may just be a far great availability of extraterrestrial organic molecules than thought.

When the meteorite fell last near, Doppler weather radar caught it in the act. This allowed researchers to rapidly recover the meteorite and study it before it could have much exposure to the elements. In fact, it gave scientists the most pristine look yet at the surface of primitive asteroids.

"The analyses of meteorites never cease to surprise you and make you wonder," said Sandra Pizzarello, one of the researchers, in a news release. "This is a meteorite whose organics had been found altered by heat and of little appeal for bio- or prebiotic chemistry, yet the very Solar System processes that lead to its alteration seem also to have brought about novel and complex molecules of definite prebiotic interest such as polyethers."

In order to learn a bit more about the meteorite, the scientists hydrothermally treated fragments of the space rock. They then detected compounds released by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. These conditions released a complex mixture of oxygen-rich compounds, which were probably the result of oxidative processes that occurred in the parent body. They included a variety of long chain linear and branched polyethers.

The findings are huge when it comes to the discussion of extraterrestrial life. The fact that so many compounds were discovered on the meteorite may hint that life on Earth may have been delivered on such a missile. In fact, an ancient meteorite or comet could have aided the molecular evolution that preceded life on our planet.

The findings are published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

Want to see the meteorite for yourself? Check out the video below, courtesy of YouTube.