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Did Comets Bring Ingredients for Life to Earth?

A new study questions an old idea.

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Science news editorial illustration for Study Questions Comets' Role in Delivering Ingredients for Life

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Source: University of Cambridge, via Brightsurf, 2026-10-28.

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Read and understand · 1/2What did some scientists suggest comets brought to early Earth?

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Chemicals that could help make life’s building blocks. The first paragraph describes a proposal about chemicals, not living animals.

Clue: Comets are icy objects that travel through space. Some scientists have suggested that they brought important chemicals to the early Earth. These chemicals could help make the building blocks of life.

Read and understand · 2/2What did the computer models suggest about delivery of the chemical?

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It would rarely reach the ground in a useful amount. The model suggests rare delivery, while the researchers cannot rule it out.

Clue: A Cambridge-led team used computer models to study one chemical found in comets. It says the chemical would rarely have reached the ground in a useful amount after a crash. The researchers cannot rule out a rare delivery.

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What did the team study, and what can it not rule out?

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The team modelled a chemical found in comets and found that useful delivery would be rare. It cannot rule out a rare delivery.

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