News by Levels · Level 1 · Student worksheet

Did Comets Bring Ingredients for Life to Earth?

Name: __________________________ Date: __________________

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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.

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.

The study does not prove where life began. It was published on October 28.

Source: University of Cambridge, via Brightsurf, 2026-10-28. https://www.brightsurf.com/news/LVDO943L/comets-probably-didnt-seed-life-on-earth-after-all-new-study-suggests.html

Read and practise

1. What did some scientists suggest comets brought to early Earth?

   1. Chemicals that could help make life’s building blocks
   2. Living organisms that had already formed in space
   3. Rocks containing fossils of ancient animals

2. What did the computer models suggest about delivery of the chemical?

   1. It happened after every crash
   2. It would rarely reach the ground in a useful amount
   3. It was proved impossible for all comets

Your turn

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

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Read online: https://newsbylevels.com/news/comet-ingredients-life-earth-cambridge-study-october-2026/level-1/