Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

The Importance of Water for Life

  • Published:
Space Science Reviews Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Liquid water is essential for life as we know it, i.e. carbon-based life. Although other compound-solvent pairs that could exist in very specific physical environments could be envisaged, the elements essential to carbon and water-based life are among the most common in the universe. Carbon molecules and liquid water have physical and chemical properties that make them optimised compound-solvent pairs. Liquid water is essential for important prebiotic reactions. But equally important for the emergence of life is the contact of carbon molecules in liquid water with hot rocks and minerals. We here review the environmental conditions of the early Earth, as soon as it had liquid water at its surface and was habitable. Basing our approach to life as a “cosmic phenomenon” (de Duve 1995), i.e. a chemical continuum, we briefly address the various hypotheses for the origin of life, noting their relevance with respect to early environmental conditions. It appears that hydrothermal environments were important in this respect. We continue with the record of early life noting that, by 3.5 Ga, when the sedimentary environment started being well-preserved, anaerobic life forms had colonised all habitable microenvironments from the sea floor to exposed beach environments and, possibly, in the photic planktonic zone of the sea. Life on Earth had also evolved to the relatively sophisticated stage of anoxygenic photosynthesis. We conclude with an evaluation of the potential for habitability and colonisation of other planets and satellites in the Solar System, noting that the most common life forms in the Solar System and probably in the Universe would be similar to terrestrial chemotrophs whose carbon source is either reduced carbon or CO2 dissolved in water and whose energy would be sourced from oxidized carbon, H2, or other transition elements.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7
Fig. 8

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Z. Adam, Astrobiology 7(6), 852 (2007)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • A.C. Allwood, M.R. Walter, B.S. Kamber, I.W. Burch, Nature 441, 714 (2006)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • K. Altwegg, H. Balsiger, A. Bar-Nun, J-J. Berthelier, A. Bieler, P. Bochsler, C. Briois, U. Calmonte, M.R. Combi, H. Cottin, J. De Keyser, F. Dhooghe, B. Fiethe, S.A. Fuselier, S. Gasc, T. Gombosi, K.C. Hansen, M. Haessig, A. Jäckel, E. Kopp, A. Korth, L. Le Roy, U. Mall, B. Marty, O. Mousis, T. Owen, H. Rème, M. Rubin, T. Sémon, C-Y. Tzou, J.H. Waite, P. Wurz, Sci. Adv. 2 (2016)

  • N.T. Arndt, in Archean Crustal Evolution, ed. by K.C. Condie (Elsevier, Amsterdam, 1994), p. 11

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • N.T. Arndt, Geochem. Perspect. 2, 405 (2013)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • S. Arrhenius, Worlds in the Making: The Evolution of the Universe (Harper & Row, New York, 1908)

    MATH  Google Scholar 

  • P.A. Bachmann, P.L. Luisi, J. Lang, Nature 357 (1992)

  • J.A. Baross, S.E. Hoffman, Orig. Life Evol. Biosph. 15 (1985)

  • A. Belloche, R.T. Garrod, H.S.P. Müller, K.M. Menten, Science 345 (2014)

  • S.A. Benner, H-J. Kim, M.A. Carrigan, Acc. Chem. Res. 45 (2012)

  • S.A. Benner, Mineral. Mag. 77 (2013)

  • P. Boehnke, M.T. Harrison, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. 113, 10802–10806 (2016)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • S.A. Bowring, T.B. Housh, C.E. Isachsen, in Origin of the Earth, ed. by H.E. Newsom, J.H. Jones (Oxford University Press, New York, 1990), p. 319

    Google Scholar 

  • A. Brack, in Astrobiology, ed. by G. Horneck, C. Baulstark-Kahn (Springer, Berlin, 2002), p. 79

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • A. Brack, Chem. Biodivers. 4 (2007)

  • A. Brack, M. Troublé, Orig. Life Evol. Biosph. 40, 31 (2010)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • M.D. Brasier, R. Matthewman, S. McMahon, D. Wacey, Astrobiology 11, 725 (2011)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • M.D. Brasier, R. Matthewman, S. McMahon, M.R. Kilburn, D. Wacey, Precambrian Res. 224, 1 (2013)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • G.R. Byerly, D.R. Lowe, M.M. Walsh, Nature 319, 489 (1986)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • A.G. Cairns-Smith, Seven Clues to the Origin of Life—A Scientific Detective Story (Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, 1985), pp. 1–144

    Google Scholar 

  • J.C. Castillo-Rogez, P.G. Conrad, AbSciCon, Abstr. 5302 (2010)

  • H.J. Cleaves II, A. Michalkova Scott, F.C. Hill, J. Leszczynski, N. Sahai, R. Hazen, Chem. Soc. Rev. 41, 5502 (2012)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • C.S. Cockell, F. Westall, Int. J. Astrobiol. 3, 157 (2004)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • C.S. Cockell, M. Balme, J.C. Bridges, A. Davilad, S.P. Schwenzer, Icarus 217, 184 (2012)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • B. Damer, D. Deamer, Life 5(1), 872 (2015)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • A.V. Dass, K. Hickman-Lewis, A. Brack, T.P. Kee, F. Westall, Chem. Sel. 1, 4906 (2016)

    Google Scholar 

  • C. de Duve, Vital Dust: Life as a Cosmic Imperative (Basic Books, New York, 1995), p. 362

    Google Scholar 

  • D.J. Des Marais, Science 291, 436 (2001)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • T. Djokic, M.J. van Kranendonk, K.A. Campbell, M.R. Walter, C.R. Ward, Nat. Commun. (2017). https://doi.org/10.1038/ncomms15263

    Google Scholar 

  • T. Ganti, Biosystems 7, 15 (1975)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • J. Gollihar, M. Levy, A.D. Ellington, Science 343, 259 (2014)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • R.A.F. Grieve, M.J. Cintala, A.M. Theriault, in Processes on the Early Earth, ed. by U.W. Reimold, R.L. Gibson (2006), pp. 23–31. GSA Sp. Paper

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • A.N. Halliday, Earth Planet. Sci. Lett. 176, 17 (2000)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • M.M. Hanczyc, S.S. Mansy, J.W. Szostak, Orig. Life Evol. Biosph. 37, 67 (2007)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • W.K. Hartmann, D.R. Davis, Icarus 24, 504 (1975)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • R.M. Hazen, D.A. Sverjensky, Cold Spring Harb. Perspect. Biol. 2 (2010)

  • D.J. Henry, B.L. Dutrow, Lithos 154, 16 (2012)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • P. Higgs, Life 624 (2016)

  • H.J. Hofmann, K. Grey, A.H. Hickman, R.I. Thorpe, Geol. Soc. Am. Bull. 111, 1256 (1999)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • H.D. Holland, The Chemical Evolution of the Atmosphere and Oceans (Princeton University Press, Princeton, 1984), p. 582

    Google Scholar 

  • M. Homann, C. Heubeck, T.R.R. Bontognali, A-S. Bouvier, L.P. Baumgartner, A. Airo, Geology 44, 51 (2016)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • C. Huber, G. Wächtershäuser, Science 314, 630 (2006)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • E.J. Javaux, C.P. Marshall, A. Bekker, Nature 463, 934 (2010)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • W. Jessen, Naturwissenschaften 65, 449 (1978)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • G.F. Joyce, The RNA World: Life Before DNA and Protein (Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, 1995), pp. 139–151

    Google Scholar 

  • K. Kashefi, D.R. Lovley, Science 301, 934 (2003)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • B.S. Kamber, Precambrian Res. 258, 48 (2015)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • J.F. Kasting, Science 259, 920 (1993)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • S.A. Kauffman, Sci. Am. 64 (1991)

  • D.S. Kelley, J.A. Karson, G.L. Früh-Green, D.R. Yoerger, T.M. Shank, D.A. Butterfield, J.M. Hayes, M.O. Schrenk, E.J. Olson, G. Proskurowski, M. Jakuba, A. Bradley, B. Larson, K. Ludwig, D. Glickson, K. Buckman, A.S. Bradley, W.J. Brazelton, K. Roe, M.J. Elend, A. Delacour, S.M. Bernasconi, M.D. Lilley, J.A. Baross, R.E. Summons, S.P. Sylva, Science 307, 1428 (2005)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • S. Kempe, E.T. Degons, Chem. Geol. 53, 95 (1985)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • L.P. Knauth, D.R. Lowe, Geol. Soc. Am. Bull. 115, 566 (2003)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • W.E. Krumbein, Dev. Precambrian Geol. 7, 385 (1983)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • C. Köberl, Elements 2, 211 (2006)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • C. Konn, J.L. Charlou, N.G. Holm, O. Mousis, Astrobiology 15, 381 (2015)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • A. Knoll, Life on a Young Planet: The First Three Billion Years of Evolution on Earth (Princeton University Press, Princeton, 2003), pp. 1–277

    Google Scholar 

  • H. Lammer, J.F. Kasting, E. Chassefière, R.E. Johnson, Y.N. Kulikov, F. Tian, Space Sci. Rev. 139, 399 (2008)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • M. Levy, S.L. Miller, K. Brinton, J.L. Bada, Icarus 145(2), 609 (2000)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • T. Lindahl, Nature 362(6422), 709 (1993)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • D.R. Lowe, Spec. Pap., Geol. Soc. Am. 329, 83 (1999)

    Google Scholar 

  • K.A. Maher, D.J. Stephenson, Nature 331, 612 (1988)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • W.F. Martin, J. Baross, D. Kelley, M.J. Russell, Nat. Rev. Microbiol. 6, 805 (2008)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • M. Maurette, Micrometeorites and the Mysteries of Our Origins (Springer, Berlin, 2006), p. 182

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • M. Maurette, A. Brack, Meteorit. Planet. Sci. 41, 5247 (2006)

    Google Scholar 

  • J.M. McDermott, J.S. Seewald, C.R. German, S.P. Sylva, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 112, 7668 (2015)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • C. Menor-Salván, R-B. Marta, G. Marcelo, O-E. Susana, V-V. Sabino, Chemistry 15(17), 4411 (2009)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • T.J. Millar, in Astrobiology: Future Perspectives, ed. by P. Ehrenfreund, W.M. Irvine, T. Owen, L. Becker, J. Blank, J.R. Brucato, L. Colangeli, S. Derenne, A. Dutrey, D. Despois, A. Lazcano F. Robert (Springer, Netherlands, 2005), p. 4411

    Google Scholar 

  • S.L. Miller, Science 117, 528 (1953)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • S.L. Miller, A. Lazcano, J. Mol. Evol. 41, 689 (1995)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • P-A. Monnard, H. Ziock, Chem. Biodivers. 8, 1521 (2008)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • J.W. Morse, F.T. MacKenzie, Aquat. Geochem. 4(3–4), 301 (1998)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • A.Y. Mulkidjanian, Biol. Direct 4, 26 (2009)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • A.A. Nemchin, R.T. Pidgeon, M.J. Whitehouse, Earth Planet. Sci. Lett. 244, 218 (2006)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • E.G. Nisbet, N.H. Sleep, Nature 409, 1083 (2001)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • L.E. Orgel, Orig. Life Evol. Biosph. 28, 91 (1998)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • L.E. Orgel, Orig. Life Evol. Biosph. 34(4), 361 (2004)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • J. Parnell, Orig. Life Evol. Biosph. 34(6), 533 (2004)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • B.H. Patel, C. Percivalle, D.J. Ritson, C.D. Duffy, J.D. Sutherland, Nat. Chem. 7(4), 301 (2015)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • J. Peretò, J.L. Bada, A. Lazcano, Orig. Life Evol. Biosph. 39, 395 (2009)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • S. Pizzarello, G.W. Cooper, G.J. Flynn, in Meteorites and the Early Solar System II, ed. by D.S. Lauretta, H.Y. McSween (University of Arizona Press/Lunar and Planetary Institute, Tucson/Houston, 2006), p. 625

    Google Scholar 

  • S. Pizzarello, E. Shock, Cold Spring Harb. Perspect. Biol. (2010). https://doi.org/10.1101/cshperspect.a002105

    Google Scholar 

  • G. Proskurowski, M.D. Lilley, J.S. Seewald, G.L. Früh-Green, E.J. Olson, J.E. Lupton, S.P. Sylva, D.S. Kelley, Science 319, 604 (2008)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • F. Raulin, Space Sci. Rev. 135, 37 (2008)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • C. Reid, L.E. Orgel, Nature 216, 455 (1967)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • M.P. Robertson, S.L. Miller, Nature 375(6534), 772 (1995)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • M.J. Russell, A.J. Hall, J. Geol. Soc. Lond. 154, 377 (1997)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • M.J. Russell, N.T. Arndt, Biogeosciences 2, 97 (2005)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • G. Ryder, Astrobiology 3, 3 (2003)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • C. Sagan, G. Mullen, Science 177, 52 (1972)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • D. Schulze-Makuch, L.N. Irwin, Life in the Universe: Expectations and Constraints (Springer, Berlin, 2004), p. 172

    Google Scholar 

  • J.S. Seewald, M.Y. Zolotov, T. McCollom, Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta 70, 446 (2006)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • R. Shapiro, D. Schulze-Makuch, Astrobiology 9, 335 (2009)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • G.H. Shaw, Chem. Erde 68, 235 (2008)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • G.H. Shaw, Earth’s Early Atmosphere and Oceans, and the Origin of Life (Springer, Switzerland, 2016), p. 113

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • B. Sherwood Lollar, L-C. Georges, K. Voglesonger, F.S. Gregory, Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta 72, 4778 (2008)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • E.L. Shock, T.M. McCollom, M.D. Schulte, in The Keys to Molecular Evolution and the Origin of Life, ed. by J. Wiegel, M.W. Adams (Taylor & Francis, London, 1998), p. 59

    Google Scholar 

  • N.H. Sleep, K.J. Zahnle, J.F. Kasting, H.J. Morowitz, Nature 342, 139 (1989)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • S.J. Sowerby, N.G. Petersen, N.G. Holm, Orig. Life Evol. Biosph. 32, 35 (2002)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • E.J.T. Stefurak, W.W. Fischer, D.R. Lowe, Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta 150, 26 (2015)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • K. Sugitani, K. Mimura, M. Takeuchi, K. Lepot, S. Ito, E.J. Javaux, Geobiology 13, 507 (2015)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • R.E. Summons, J.P. Amend, D. Bish, R. Buick, G.D. Cody, D.J. Des Marais, G. Dromart, J.L. Eigenbrode, A.H. Knoll, D.Y. Sumner, Astrobiology 11, 157 (2011)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • F. Tian, O.B. Toon, A.A. Pavlov, H. De Steck, Science 308, 1014 (2005)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • M. Tice, D.R. Lowe, Nature 431, 549 (2004)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • J.W. Valley, A.J. Cavosie, T. Ushikubo, D.A. Reinhard, D.F. Lawrence, D.J. Larson, P.H. Clifton, T.F. Kelly, S.A. Wilde, D.E. Moser, M.J. Spicuzza, Nat. Geosci. 7, 219 (2014)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • S.H.J.M. van den Boorn, M.J. van Bergen, W. Nijman, P.Z. Vroon, Geology 35, 939 (2007)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • M. Van Kranendonk, R.H. Smithies, W.L. Griffin, D.L. Huston, A.H. Hickman, D.C. Champion, C.R. Anhaeusser, F. Pirajno, in Continent Formation Through Time, ed. by N.M.W. Roberts, M. Van Kranendonk, S. Parman, S. Shirey, P.D. Clift (Geological Society, London, 2015), p. 83. Special Publications

    Google Scholar 

  • F.J. Varela, H. Maturana, R. Uribe, Biosystems 5, 187 (1974)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • G. Wächtershäuser, Microbiol. Rev. 52, 452–484 (1988)

    Google Scholar 

  • G. Wächtershäuser, Chem. Biodivers. 4, 584 (2007)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • M.C. Weiss, F.L. Sousa, N. Mrnjavac, S. Neukirchen, M. Roettger, S. Nelson-Sathi, W.F. Martin, Nat. Microbiol. 1, 16116 (2016)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • H. Wenhua, J.P. Ferris, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 128(27), 8914 (2006)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • F. Westall, in The Early Earth and the Origin of Life, ed. by H. Martin, M. Gardaud, G. Reisse, B. Barbier (Springer, Berlin, 2005), p. 195

    Google Scholar 

  • F. Westall, in Origins and Evolution of Life, an Astrobiology Perspective, ed. by M. Gargaud, P. Lopez-Garcia, H. Martin (Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, 2011), p. 391

    Google Scholar 

  • F. Westall, Astrobiology, ed. by C. Impey, J. Lunine, J. Funes (Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, 2012), p. 89

    Google Scholar 

  • F. Westall, Boll. Soc. Paleontol. Ital. 55, 85 (2016)

    Google Scholar 

  • F. Westall, C.E.J. de Ronde, G. Southam, N. Grassineau, M. Colas, C. Cockell, H. Lammer, Philos. Trans. R. Soc. B 361, 1857 (2006)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • F. Westall, B. Cavalazzi, L. Lemelle, Y. Marrocchi, J.N. Rouzaud, A. Simionovici, M. Salome´, S. Mostefaoui, C. Andreazza, F. Foucher, J. Toporski, A. Jauss, V. Thiel, G. Southam, L. MacLean, S. Wirick, A. Hofmann, A. Meibom, F. Robert, C. Défarge, Earth Planet. Sci. Lett. 310, 468–479 (2011a)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • F. Westall, F. Foucher, B. Cavalazzi, S.T. de Vries, W. Nijman, V. Pearson, J. Watson, A. Verchovsky, I. Wright, J-N. Rouzaud, D. Marchesini, S. Anne, Planet. Space Sci. 59, 1093 (2011b)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • F. Westall, D. Loizeau, F. Foucher, N. Bost, M. Bertrand, J. Vago, G. Kminek, Astrobiology 13, 887 (2013)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • F. Westall, K.A. Campbell, J. Bréhéret, F. Foucher, P. Gautret, A. Hubert, S. Sorieul, N. Grassineau, D.M. Guido, Geology 43, 615 (2015a)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • F. Westall, F. Foucher, N. Bost, M. Bertrand, D. Loizeau, J.L. Vago, G. Kminek, F. Gaboyer, K.A. Campbell, J.G. Bréhéret, P. Gautret, C.S. Cockell, Astrobiology 15, 988 (2015b)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • F. Westall, K. Hickman-Lewis, N. Hinman, P. Gautret, K.A. Campbell, J.G. Bréhéret, F. Foucher, A. Hubert, S. Sorieul, A.V. Dass, T.P. Kee, T. Georgelin, A. Brack, Astrobiology (3) (2018, in press)

  • F.H. Westheimer, Science 235, 1173 (1987)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • S.A. Wilde, J.W. Valley, W.H. Peck, C.M. Graham, Nature 409, 175 (2001)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • K. Zahnle, N.H. Sleep, in Comets and the Origin and the Evolution of Life, ed. by P.J. Thomas, R.D. Hicks, C.F. Chyba, C.P. McKay (Springer, Berlin, 2006), pp. 175–208

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. CNRS-Centre de Biophysique Moléculaire, CS80054, Rue Charles Sadron, 45071, Orléans cedex 2, France

    Frances Westall & André Brack

Authors
  1. Frances Westall
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. André Brack
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Frances Westall.

Additional information

The Delivery of Water to Protoplanets, Planets and Satellites

Edited by Michel Blanc, Allessandro Morbidelli, Yann Alibert, Lindy Elkins-Tanton, Paul Estrada, Keiko Hamano, Helmut Lammer, Sean Raymond and Maria Schönbächler

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Westall, F., Brack, A. The Importance of Water for Life. Space Sci Rev 214, 50 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11214-018-0476-7

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11214-018-0476-7

Keywords

Search

Navigation