New evidence suggests that life on Earth may have originated 4.3 billion years ago, much earlier than previously believed, during a time when the planet endured relentless asteroid impacts equivalent to thousands of nuclear blasts.

Far from extinguishing life, some scientists now propose a radical idea: these cataclysmic events might have played a role in creating it. As researchers worldwide uncover intriguing new clues, this groundbreaking theory could revolutionize our understanding of life’s origins and our earliest common ancestor, forged in the crucible of a fiery and tumultuous Earth.