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The origin of life on our planet is a subject that has always aroused great fascination. The recent scientific discoveries shed light on the history of this striking event. A team of international researchers has just revealed that life on Earth could be much older than we thought. Indeed, according to their work, the last universal common ancestor (Luca) would have lived around 4.2 billion years ago, or 400 million years earlier than previous estimates. These results, from meticulous research, change our perspective on the evolution and the very origins of life.
Luca: the parent of all living things
Luca, or the last universal common ancestor, is considered to be the origin of all forms of life on earth. This primitive ancestor connects each living being, from microscopic bacteria to modern man, by an invisible but undeniable genetic wire. Luca was a prokaryote organism, a simple nucleus cell, living about 4 billion years ago. Although it is simple in its structure, it has laid the basics of biodiversity that we observe today. Before this recent study, the scientific community thought that Luca appeared about 3.8 billion years ago. However, a team led by the paleogenetician Edmund Moody pushed this date by 400 million years, providing new light on the beginnings of life.
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How to determine his age?
Determine Luca’s age is based on a rigorous scientific method called phylogenetic analysis. This technique studies the evolution of genes through different species. Genetic mutations, these modifications to the DNA sequence which occur slowly over the generations, serve as a molecular clock. By comparing genes of organisms as varied as humans, bacteria or plants, scientists can trace evolution and identify the era at which species diverged from their common ancestor. This mathematical model thus makes it possible to estimate that Luca lived 4.2 billion years ago, much earlier than what was believed before.
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What was it like?
Although there are no Luca fossils, scientists have formulated hypotheses based on the characteristics of current living beings. Luca is likely that Luca had a rudimentary immune system, capable of defending himself against threats such as viruses. This primitive organism probably lived in an aquatic environment, rich in metals and chemical substances, and subject to extreme temperature and pressure conditions. Luca was not isolated : He was part of a primitive ecosystem, where his waste fed other microbes, thus establishing a natural recycling cycle.
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A gateway to our history
The discovery of the age of Luca at 4.2 billion years is a major advance to understand the origins of earthly life. This organism was not only a primitive cell, but the ancestor of an incredible diversity of species that have evolved over the billions of years. This study highlights the importance of genetics and evolution to better understand our past. However, many questions remain: how did Luca appear initially? What conditions have made its emergence? By exploring these mysteries, we could one day discover the secrets of our own existence. What other revelations could still hide in the corners of our evolutionary history?
This article is based on verified sources and the assistance of editorial technologies.
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