Focus on U.S. Immigration and U.S. Technology: A recent scientific study suggests that all life on Earth may have originated from clay.
Scientists reported in the journal Scientific Reports that the latest theory posits that for tiny molecules and chemical substances "adsorbed by clay like a sponge," clay (the primordial form of mineral compounds on Earth) served as a kind of cultivation laboratory. This process took billions of years, during which chemical substances reacted with each other, forming proteins, DNA, and ultimately living cells.
Biological engineers at Cornell University in New York believe that clay "may have been the birthplace of life on Earth." This theory can be traced back to many cultures from hundreds of years ago, albeit without the same scientific explanations.
From ancient Egyptian religious texts to Chinese legends, it is believed that God shaped clay into a human and breathed life into him through his nostrils. The Book of Genesis also states that man was formed from dust and will return to dust after death, which scholars have translated from ancient Hebrew, referring to clay or soil.
Clay forms hydrogels in seawater—numerous tiny spaces can adsorb surrounding minerals, chemicals, and small molecules. Professor Rodin from Cornell University stated: "In the early geological history, clay hydrogels played a constraining role for biomolecules and biochemical reactions. Over billions of years, the chemical substances confined in these spaces underwent very complex reactions, forming proteins, DNA, and ultimately the mechanisms that facilitate the normal functioning of living cells."
Researchers conducted experiments using synthetic hydrogels to reach these conclusions, requiring the addition of DNA, amino acids, and enzymes, while mimicking the environment for protein generation. Although this is merely a theory regarding the origin of life on Earth, it may also help the pharmaceutical manufacturing industry save costs. The related report states: "Why consider clay? Because soil is very cheap. Moreover, it is even better that using clay can increase protein yields, which is truly unexpected."