Rutgers University scientists have identified a portion of a protein called “Nickelback” that is a likely candidate for kickstarting life on Earth over 3 billion years ago. This finding has important implications for the search for extraterrestrial life, as it offers a new clue for researchers to look for. The researchers believe that a few precursor proteins played a key role in the transformation from prebiotic chemistry to living biological systems, and “Nickelback” is one of these “pioneer peptides.”
