A study discovers that we were wrong about the age of the common ancestor of “all life on Earth.”
The study, led by paleogeneticist Edmund Moody from the University of Bristol, claims that LUCA may have emerged 4.2 billion years ago.
One of the most shared metaphors about life on Earth is the cosmic clock. It is often said that if the history of our planet were represented by a 24-hour clock, life would appear around 4:00 or 5:00 a.m. However, according to French outlet Innovant, this idea appears to be wrong.
This has been demonstrated by a new international study. The research, led by paleogeneticist Edmund Moody from the University of Bristol, England, has revealed that the Last Universal Common Ancestor (LUCA) is much older than previously believed.
LUCA represents the origin of all life on our planet, from plants to animals and humans. This organism was a primitive prokaryotic cell, without a nucleus and capable of reproduction, and is considered the foundation of all living beings that have ever inhabited the Earth.
Previous studies suggested this ancestor appeared around 3.8 billion years ago. However, Moody’s team now claims LUCA could have been born about 4.2 billion years ago, meaning life on Earth emerged shortly after the planet itself formed.
LUCA’s new estimated age was determined through a phylogenetic analysis. This technique studies genetic mutations passed down from generation to generation, serving as a “molecular clock” that allows researchers to compare the genes of different species and determine when they diverged from a common ancestor.
What was LUCA like?
Although LUCA’s physiological capabilities remain unknown, scientists estimate that it had surprisingly complex traits for its time. It is possible that our ancestor had a rudimentary immune system, capable of protecting it against some viruses and external threats.
Additionally, LUCA is believed to have lived in a mineral- and chemical-rich aquatic environment. This environment likely had extreme pressure and temperature conditions, where LUCA’s waste could have nourished other microbes, establishing an early primitive ecosystem.
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