>"New research reveals LUCA, Earth’s last universal common ancestor, was a complex organism shaping early ecosystems 4.2 billion years ago."
The study details LUCA's age, genetic makeup, metabolism, and ecological role, suggesting life may have emerged rapidly after Earth's formation and could exist on other planets.
* LUCA lived around 4.2 billion years ago, potentially before the Late Heavy Bombardment.
* Researchers used a refined molecular clock analysis focusing on gene duplication *before* LUCA’s emergence.
* LUCA’s genome was surprisingly complex, containing at least 2.5 megabases and around 2,600 proteins.
* Evidence suggests LUCA possessed an early form of an immune system, indicating the presence of viruses at the time.
* LUCA utilized anaerobic metabolism (acetogenesis) and fed on hydrogen and carbon dioxide.
* LUCA’s metabolic byproducts served as a food source for other microbes, forming early recycling ecosystems.
* Shared traits like the universal genetic code and ATP reliance trace back to LUCA.
* The research combined fossil records, isotopic data, genetic timelines, and biogeochemical models.
* The study suggests life may have emerged rapidly after Earth’s formation, and could potentially exist on other planets.
The study details LUCA's age, genetic makeup, metabolism, and ecological role, suggesting life may have emerged rapidly after Earth's formation and could exist on other planets.
* LUCA lived around 4.2 billion years ago, potentially before the Late Heavy Bombardment.
* Researchers used a refined molecular clock analysis focusing on gene duplication *before* LUCA’s emergence.
* LUCA’s genome was surprisingly complex, containing at least 2.5 megabases and around 2,600 proteins.
* Evidence suggests LUCA possessed an early form of an immune system, indicating the presence of viruses at the time.
* LUCA utilized anaerobic metabolism (acetogenesis) and fed on hydrogen and carbon dioxide.
* LUCA’s metabolic byproducts served as a food source for other microbes, forming early recycling ecosystems.
* Shared traits like the universal genetic code and ATP reliance trace back to LUCA.
* The research combined fossil records, isotopic data, genetic timelines, and biogeochemical models.
* The study suggests life may have emerged rapidly after Earth’s formation, and could potentially exist on other planets.
