Moon Could Provide Evidence of Earliest Life on Earth

According to Ian Crawford and Emily Baldwin of Birkbeck, University of London, the moon may be the best place to find evidence of the earliest life on Earth.

Four billion years ago, comets and asteroids that collided with Earth stirred up many rocks; a large number of these would have landed on the moon. Because conditions on the surface of the moon are much calmer than on the Earth’s surface, these meteorites might still exist on the moon today.

Using a method of simulating impacts called a hydrocode, Crawford and Baldwin calculated what would happen to meteors from Earth that hit the moon at a range of impact angles at up to 5 kilometres per second. They found that the meteors had a good chance of survival. Those hitting the moon at relatively low velocities and shallow angles would have the best chance.