美国国家科学院网站（NationalAcademyofScienceswebsite）新公布的一项研究成果表明：在早太古代（EarlyArcheanperiod），地球的早期生命可能来自于格陵兰岛的Isua超级地壳带（SupercrustalBelt）。
太古代是我们地球地质发展史中非常古老的一段时期，大约为距今40到25亿年前，是地球岩石圈、水圈、大气圈和生命形成非常关键而又漫长的时期。
科学家最新的研究发现，在格陵兰岛Isua超级地壳带的深海火山泥中研究人员检测到了所有氨基酸（aminoacid）形成所必需的化学成分。在太古代时期这里的一些有机物组成，金属物质含量和环境温度都显示这里的环境条件非常有利于氨基酸的形成，同时锌组分的化石结构研究也表明其很可能对氨基酸的形成具有一定的催化作用。
氨基酸是含有氨基和羧基的一类有机化合物的通称，是生物功能大分子蛋白质的基本组成单位，是构成动物营养所需蛋白质的基本物质。也就是说找到早期地球氨基酸形成的潜在证据是认识地球早期生命起源和发展非常重要的关键所在。
同时海底的极端环境也被认为是该理论中氨基酸形成另外的一个触发因素。也就是说生命很可能开始于类似格陵兰岛当时的环境，或者是在化学组成和环境都有利于产生氨基酸的地方。（生物谷 Bioon.com）
doi:10.1073/pnas.1108061108
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Early Archean serpentine mud volcanoes at Isua, Greenland, as a niche for early life
Marie-Laure Ponsa, Ghylaine Quittéa, Toshiyuki Fujiib, Minik T. Rosingc, Bruno Reynarda, Frederic Moynierd, Chantal Doucheta,1, and Francis Albarèdea,2
The Isua Supracrustal Belt, Greenland, of Early Archean age (3.81–3.70 Ga) represents the oldest crustal segment on Earth. Its complex lithology comprises an ophiolite-like unit and volcanic rocks reminiscent of boninites, which tie Isua supracrustals to an island arc environment. We here present zinc (Zn) isotope compositions measured on serpentinites and other rocks from the Isua supracrustal sequence and on serpentinites from modern ophiolites, midocean ridges, and the Mariana forearc. In stark contrast to modern midocean ridge and ophiolite serpentinites, Zn in Isua and Mariana serpentinites is markedly depleted in heavy isotopes with respect to the igneous average. Based on recent results of Zn isotope fractionation between coexisting species in solution, the Isua serpentinites were permeated by carbonate-rich, high-pH hydrothermal solutions at medium temperature (100–300 °C). Zinc isotopes therefore stand out as a pH meter for fossil hydrothermal solutions. The geochemical features of the Isua fluids resemble the interstitial fluids sampled in the mud volcano serpentinites of the Mariana forearc. The reduced character and the high pH inferred for these fluids make Archean serpentine mud volcanoes a particularly favorable setting for the early stabilization of amino acids.
