3 ms·
This is interesting because the very earliest asteroids were warmed by short-lived radioactive decay. So, even small ones could have had interiors with liquid
by pfdietz 2y ago
This is interesting because the very earliest asteroids were warmed by short-lived radioactive decay. So, even small ones could have had interiors with liquid water. Their combined volume would have been very large, making them all potential sites for origin of life. Subsequently, impacts could have led to seeding of this life on the inner planets, including Earth and Mars.
If these truly were the sites of OoL in our solar system, then that means life either originated early, before these asteroids froze up or dried out, or it wouldn't arise at all. This would vitiate the argument that because life appeared early on Earth, OoL must occur with high probability.