New research shows proof that life on Earth began on Mars

Professor Steven Benner from The Westheimer Institute for Science and Technology in the Gainesville, Florida, presented evidence that supports the idea that life on Earth originated on Mars at the Aug. 28, 2013, meeting of the Goldschmidt Conference in Florence, Italy.

The basis of Benner’s contention is the mineral makeup of Mars and Earth at the time that life began on Earth some three billion years ago. Benner also contends that the potential for life to begin anew on Mars is evident in the Martian minerals and the composition of a few key minerals that have been discovered by the Curiosity mission.

Highly oxidized molybdenum is necessary to produce key enzymatic controls necessary for life as we know it to begin anywhere. Benner contends that there was not enough oxygen on Earth three billion years ago to produce highly oxidized molybdenum but Curiosity has produced evidence that sufficient oxygen did exist on Mars at that time to create the necessary compounds of life.

The recent discovery of boron in a Mars meteorite adds weight o Benner’s argument. Boron in an oxidized state has the capacity to moderate and accelerate the combination of organic materials necessary for life to begin.

More support of Benner’s conclusion is evinced in the fact that Earth was covered by water at the time life began on Earth. This fact would prevent the full oxidation of either mineral that moderated the chemical combinations that eventually became life.

Benner contends that life began on Mars and came to Earth on a rock that was probably a meteorite.