Sea foam contains hemoglycin from cosmic dust

Area of Science:

• Astrobiology
• Geochemistry
• Materials Science

Background:

• Meteoritic polymer amides, specifically hemoglycin, have been identified in fossil and modern stromatolites.
• Evidence suggests that in-falling cosmic dust contributes these compounds to Earth's geological record.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the presence of extraterrestrial hemoglycin polymer amide in contemporary sea foam.
• To explore the potential link between cosmic dust deposition and sea foam characteristics.

Main Methods:

• Sea foam samples were collected from Rhode Island beaches.
• Folch extraction was employed to isolate amphiphilic components.
• MALDI mass spectrometry was used to identify hemoglycin polymer amide and its fragmentation patterns.

Main Results:

• Hemoglycin polymer amide molecules were detected in sea foam samples.
• Isotope enrichment in the identified molecules suggests an extraterrestrial origin.
• The structure of hemoglycin lattices may explain the resilience and lightness of sea foam.

Conclusions:

• Sea foam contains compounds originating from extraterrestrial sources.
• Ongoing deposition of cosmic dust is a plausible source of these compounds.
• Hemoglycin polymer amides may play a role in the physical properties of sea foam.