The research, conducted by scientists at Stanford University, demonstrates that when water droplets collide and form spray, they generate small electrical charges.

Life may not have begun with a dramatic lightning strike into the ocean but from many smaller "microlightning" exchanges among water droplets from crashing waterfalls or breaking waves.

But real lightning would have struck infrequently—and mostly in open ocean, where organic compounds would have quickly dispersed. If you're enjoying this article, consider supporting our award-winning journalism by subscribing.

Experiments show that those small electrical charges can trigger the chemical reactions necessary to form organic molecules.

In a nutshell Water droplets create “microlightning” when they split, producing electrical discharges without any external power source These tiny electrical sparks can transform simple gases into complex organic molecules—including amino acids and RNA components—in just microseconds Since water sprays are far more common than lightning strikes,

We may be starting to get a grasp on what kick-started life on Earth – and it could help us search for it on other planets

A chemical reaction involving tiny flashes of light in water droplets may have laid the foundation for life on Earth.