NASA-backed study links molybdenum to early life chemistry on Earth
Turns out, molybdenum, a metal you probably don't think about much, was a big deal for early life on Earth.
A new NASA-backed study shows that over three billion years ago, even when oxygen was super scarce, molybdenum helped drive the chemical reactions needed for life by working with elements like carbon, nitrogen, and sulfur.
Study could guide astrobiology searches
Scientists found that microbes were already making use of molybdenum and tungsten as far back as 3.7 billion years ago, likely picking them up from places like hydrothermal vents deep in the ocean.
This discovery could even help astrobiologists figure out what to look for when searching for life on other planets: senior author Betul Kacar says it's about life detection being "metal-aware, redox-aware, and evolution-aware."