New Insights into Life’s Origins from Hydrothermal Vents

Researchers from RIKEN have discovered nanostructures at deep-ocean hydrothermal vents that resemble life’s building blocks, SciTech Daily reported yesterday.

These self-organized structures act as selective ion channels and can generate energy, shedding light on the origins of life and enhancing blue-energy technologies. Led by Ryuhei Nakamura, the study published in Nature Communications highlights how these inorganic nanostructures can convert osmotic energy, a process vital for modern life.

Hydrothermal vents, rich in minerals and stable conditions, are believed to be the cradle of life on Earth. The team examined samples from the Shinkai Seep Field and found that brucite crystals formed nano-channels for vent fluid. Their experiments revealed that these channels selectively transport ions, mimicking the behavior of voltage-gated ion channels in living cells.

This discovery not only informs theories about life’s beginnings but also has potential applications in industrial energy harvesting from salinity gradients, offering new avenues for sustainable energy solutions.