Benjamin Tutolo challenges hydrothermal vent theory for the origin of life

Geochemist Benjamin Tutolo of the University of Calgary has published a paper in the journal PNAS challenging the long-standing hypothesis that life on Earth originated in deep-sea hydrothermal vents.

Tutolo argues that the theory relies on outdated assumptions regarding the chemistry of ancient oceans. He suggests that current evidence regarding mineral levels, acidity, and alkalinity contradicts the conditions required for the hydrothermal vent model to function. Specifically, he notes that these vents are not as alkaline or sulfur-rich as previously believed, and that the systems would need to operate in ways that are inconsistent with known geochemical processes.

While the hydrothermal vent theory remains a consistent and culturally ingrained hypothesis in the scientific community, Tutolo contends that it is now inconsistent with modern understanding of Earth's environment approximately four billion years ago.