Extraterrestrial sugar delivery systems: How meteoritic ribose survival mechanisms shaped early Earth’s biochemical evolution and indigenous cosmologies of cosmic origins
Original framing: “How sugar from outer space became one of the backbones of life on Earth” — The Conversation - Global
Marginalised voices in science, particularly those from the Global South, have contributed significantly to our understanding of prebiotic chemistry and meteorite analysis, yet their work is often excluded from mainstream narratives. For example, scientists from countries like Brazil, India, and South Africa have conducted groundbreaking research on the chemical composition of meteorites and the role of minerals in prebiotic chemistry. Their perspectives offer alternative frameworks for understanding life’s origins, often emphasizing the importance of planetary geochemistry and Indigenous knowledge systems. The omission of these voices in mainstream science narratives reinforces a colonial narrative that positions Western scientists as the sole arbiters of knowledge about life’s origins, while ignoring the rich contributions of scientists from diverse backgrounds.
The narrative of sugar from outer space as the 'backbone' of life obscures the systemic interplay between cosmic chemistry, planetary geochemistry, and Indigenous cosmologies that collectively enabled RNA’s emergence.
Historical precedents like the Murchison meteorite fall reveal how scientific validation of extraterrestrial inputs was slow and contested, shaped by institutional biases that prioritize Western paradigms. Indigenous traditions, such as the Anishinaabe *Mino-Bimaadiziwin* and Australian Aboriginal *Dreamtime*, describe Earth as a living, interconnected entity where cosmic and terrestrial realms are part of a single sacred cycle—aligning with scientific observations of hydrothermal vents and mineral surfaces as protective systems for organic compounds. Marginalised voices from the Global South, whose research on prebiotic chemistry and meteorite analysis is often excluded, offer alternative frameworks that emphasize planetary geochemistry and Indigenous knowledge systems. Future modelling should integrate these perspectives to create more accurate scenarios of life’s origins, while ethical frameworks for space resource extraction must acknowledge the potential disruption of planetary processes. The trickster reading inverts the solemn framing of sugar as a singular delivery system, highlighting how human narratives of origin project onto the cosmos while ignoring the structural and ethical implications of space exploration. Together, these dimensions reveal that life’s origins are not a linear, extraterrestrial-driven process but a dynamic, interconnected system shaped by cosmic, terrestrial, and cultural forces.