") no-repeat center center;background-size:10px 16px;content:' '}@media(min-width:768px){.gBkjJh::before{display:none}}.fqxTeP{min-height:389px;clear:both}@media(min-width:1000px){.fqxTeP{min-height:380px}}@media(min-width:1000px){.iZwHvr .taboola{display:none}}.iZwHvr:has(#taboola-carousel-thumbnails){min-height:426px}.iZwHvr:has(#taboola-mid-article-thumbnails-crime){min-height:405px}@media(min-width:1000px){.iZwHvr:has(#taboola-carousel-thumbnails),.iZwHvr:has(#taboola-mid-article-thumbnails-crime){min-height:0}}.jImJId .tp-container-inner,.jImJId .sc-1suqprf-0{position:relative;box-shadow:0 -22px 16px 22px rgba(255,255,255,0.95)}.jImJId.closed{display:none}.eZumoJ{position:fixed;top:0;left:0;z-index:2147483644;background:rgba(0,0,0,0.5);cursor:pointer;opacity:0;transition:opacity 300ms ease-in-out}.eZumoJ.overlay-background--open{width:100vw;height:100vh;opacity:1}.dRVLpc{--trans:300ms ease-in-out;position:fixed;top:0;left:0;z-index:2147483645;width:100vw;height:100vh;opacity:0;pointer-events:none;transform:translateY(-24px);transform-origin:top center;transition:transform var(--trans),opacity var(--trans)}.dRVLpc.overlay--open{opacity:1;transform:translateY(0);transition-delay:150ms}.dRVLpc.overlay--open>:first-child{pointer-events:auto}.cWTSTp .sc-17yxc4y-0{display:none}.cWTSTp:hover .sc-17yxc4y-0,.cWTSTp.bookmark-button-saved .sc-17yxc4y-0{display:block}.cWTSTp:hover .sc-17yxc4y-1,.cWTSTp.bookmark-button-saved .sc-17yxc4y-1{display:none}.cWTSTp.bookmark-button-saved .sc-17yxc4y-0{display:block}.cWTSTp.bookmark-button-saved .sc-17yxc4y-1{display:none}.cWTSTp.bookmark-button-saved:hover .sc-17yxc4y-0{display:none}.cWTSTp.bookmark-button-saved:hover .sc-17yxc4y-1{display:block}.czGZzO{--margin-x:12px;--modal-width:calc(100% - (var(--margin-x) * 2));--modal-max-width:351px;--padding:60px 16px 42px;--line-height:1.25;position:fixed;top:50%;left:50%;overflow:auto;width:var(--modal-width);max-width:var(--modal-max-width);max-height:100vh;box-sizing:border-box;padding:var(--padding);background-color:#eaf2f2;box-shadow:0 1px 1px rgba(0,0,0,0.5);line-height:var(--line-height);text-align:center;transform:translate(-50%,-50%)}@media(min-width:768px){.czGZzO{--modal-width:600px;--modal-max-width:none;--padding:72px 80px 64px;--line-height:1.2}}@media(min-width:1000px){.czGZzO{--modal-width:635px}}.kYjygs{--close-button-margin:15px;position:absolute;top:var(--close-button-margin);right:var(--close-button-margin);padding:10px}@media(min-width:768px){.kYjygs{--close-button-margin:24px}}.PPpcm{display:block;width:100%;max-width:437px;margin:0 0 20px}@media(min-width:768px){.PPpcm{margin-bottom:18px}}.cOYrQW{margin:0 0 30px;font:bold 26px/1.15 'Indy Serif','Indy Serif Fallback',serif}@media(min-width:768px){.cOYrQW{font:bold 28px/1.15 'Indy Serif','Indy Serif Fallback',serif}}.epOOte{display:block;width:100%;padding:0;margin:0 0 30px;font:normal 16px/1.44 'Indy Sans','Indy Sans Fallback',sans-serif}@media(min-width:768px){.epOOte{font:normal 20px/1.44 'Indy Sans','Indy Sans Fallback',sans-serif}}.fDiLAE{display:block;margin-top:30px;color:#222;font:normal 16px/normal 'Indy Sans','Indy Sans Fallback',sans-serif}.lcFPQp{padding:0}.dzPSOH{display:inline-block;width:32px;height:32px;color:#70a5a7}.dzPSOH button svg{width:32px;height:32px;margin:0}:not(.subscribed) .dzPSOH{margin:0 12px 0 0}.subscribed .dzPSOH{margin:0 0 16px 0}.lflWOn{display:block}@media(min-width:768px){.lflWOn{display:block}}.lflWOn:last-child button{margin-right:0}.lflWOn path{stroke:#fff}.jWuEbG button{margin-right:12px}@media(min-width:768px){.jWuEbG{display:none}.jWuEbG button{margin-right:12px}}.hgDTSg{display:flex;position:relative;justify-content:center}@media(min-width:768px){.hgDTSg{justify-content:flex-end;padding-top:12px;margin:0}}.hgDTSg svg{width:60%;height:60%;margin:20%;fill:#fff}.hgDTSg [type='facebook'] svg{width:100%;height:100%;margin:0}.hgDTSg amp-social-share{margin:0 6px;border-radius:50%;background:0;outline:0}.hgDTSg amp-social-share:first-of-type{margin-left:0}.hgDTSg amp-social-share:last-of-type{margin-right:0}@media(min-width:768px){.hgDTSg .share-mobile-only{display:none}}.hgDTSg .amp-social-share-bookmark svg{display:block;width:100%;height:100%;margin:0}.hgDTSg .amp-social-share-bookmark:hover{opacity:.85}.hgDTSg .amp-social-share-facebook{background:#627aac}.hgDTSg .amp-social-share-facebook:hover{background:#9cabcb}.hgDTSg .amp-social-share-twitter{--color:#4e4e4e;--color-alt:#919191;background:var(--color)}.hgDTSg .amp-social-share-twitter:hover{background:var(--color-alt)}.hgDTSg .amp-social-share-whatsapp{background:#25d366}.hgDTSg .amp-social-share-whatsapp:hover{background:#66e093}.hgDTSg .amp-social-share-whatsapp svg{width:70%;height:auto;margin:15%}.hgDTSg .amp-social-share-email{background:#ef4757}.hgDTSg .amp-social-share-email:hover{background:#f58992}.hgDTSg .amp-social-share-email svg path{stroke:#fff}.kdvWjb{display:flex}.sticky .kdvWjb{flex-direction:column}.bfkmcy{overflow:hidden;height:23px;margin-bottom:8px;border-bottom:0;clear:both}@media(min-width:768px){.bfkmcy{height:25px}}.fczuIa{display:inline-block;flex-shrink:0;margin:0 12px 0 0;font:bold 14px/normal 'Indy Sans','Indy Sans Fallback',sans-serif}.fczuIa::after{content:':'}.IOUwh{display:inline-block;margin-right:12px;margin-bottom:4px;color:#222;font:normal 14px/1.29 'Indy Sans','Indy Sans Fallback',sans-serif;text-decoration:underline}.IOUwh::first-letter {text-transform:capitalize}.izpdPv>p{margin:16px 0}.article-premium .izpdPv>p{line-height:27px}.izpdPv>h2{font-size:21px}.article-climate .izpdPv>h2{color:#ec1a2e}.article-sgi .izpdPv>h2{color:#ec1a2e}.izpdPv>p:first-child{margin-top:0}.izpdPv span:first-child~p:first-of-type{margin-top:0}.hQjaQn{display:flex;position:relative;max-width:100%;min-height:600px;justify-content:center;margin:0 auto;background-color:transparent;clear:both}@media(min-width:1000px){.hQjaQn{min-height:450px}}.teads .hQjaQn{display:block}.hQjaQn [data-mpu]{position:sticky;top:16px}@media(min-width:1000px){.jZcooN{display:none}}.jZcooN[data-mpu1]{min-height:600px}.jZcooN.pb-20{padding-bottom:20px}.hlPMMm{margin:0 0 24px;font:normal 16px/20px 'Indy Sans','Indy Sans Fallback',sans-serif}.euTVax{font:bold 16px/20px 'Indy Sans','Indy Sans Fallback',sans-serif}.jBfdop{overflow:hidden;width:100%;box-sizing:border-box;margin-bottom:16px}@media(min-width:768px){.jBfdop{max-width:634px}}@media(min-width:1250px){.jBfdop{max-width:622px}}.hKRbzg{width:100%;box-sizing:border-box;padding:8px 12px 12px;border-top:8px solid #ec1a2e;background-color:#fde8ea}@media(min-width:768px){.hKRbzg{padding-top:4px;padding-bottom:12px}}.cKIkhp{font:bold 22px/26px 'Indy Serif','Indy Serif Fallback',serif;margin:0 0 12px;text-align:center}@media(min-width:768px){.cKIkhp{font:bold 30px/34px 'Indy Serif','Indy Serif Fallback',serif;letter-spacing:-0.048px;margin-bottom:12px;text-align:left}}.feSJtK{display:block;margin-bottom:12px}@media(min-width:768px){.feSJtK{display:none}}.bErStG{display:flex;width:100%;box-sizing:border-box;align-items:center;justify-content:center;gap:4px;background-color:#fde8ea;color:#ec1a2e}@media(min-width:768px){.bErStG{width:auto;justify-content:flex-start}}.vaVnf{display:block;font:bold 14px/20px 'Indy Sans','Indy Sans Fallback',sans-serif;text-decoration-line:underline;margin-block:0;text-align:center}.jWuFRk{display:inline-flex;align-items:center;justify-content:center;gap:4px}.jWuFRk:hover .sc-hez36s-5,.jWuFRk:hover .sc-a5wy94-0{color:#ac2a2c}.hKrnEq{font:normal 16px/20px 'Indy Sans','Indy Sans Fallback',sans-serif}.dWUzhG{display:flex;width:100%;flex-direction:column}@media(min-width:768px){.dWUzhG{display:flow-root;gap:24px;transition:margin-bottom .3s ease-in-out}}.bDgIJb{display:flex;width:100%;flex-direction:column;align-items:center;justify-content:center}@media(min-width:768px){.bDgIJb{width:212px;flex-shrink:0;justify-content:flex-start;margin-left:24px;float:right}}.EYumw{display:none;flex-direction:row;align-items:center;justify-content:center;gap:8px;margin-top:8px}@media(min-width:768px){.EYumw{display:flex;margin-top:12px}}.kCOwPr{display:flex;width:100%;align-items:center;justify-content:center;gap:8px;margin-top:8px;margin-bottom:12px}@media(min-width:768px){.kCOwPr{display:none}}.iGXncB{display:flex;overflow:hidden;height:0;flex-direction:column;gap:8px;opacity:0;transition:all .3s ease-in-out}@media(min-width:768px){.iGXncB{display:flex;position:relative;width:auto;height:40px;order:-1;opacity:1;transition-behavior:allow-discrete}.iGXncB::after{--fade-from:rgba(253,232,234,0);--fade-to:#fde8ea;position:absolute;bottom:0;left:0;z-index:1;width:100%;height:40px;background-image:linear-gradient(to bottom,var(--fade-from),var(--fade-to));content:'';opacity:1;transition:opacity 150ms ease-out}}@media(min-width:768px){.doTReP{order:-1}}.ggPDxB{display:none;padding-top:8px;margin-top:16px;border-top:1px solid #919191}@media(max-width:767px){.ggPDxB{display:flex}}.gibhIT{display:none}@media(min-width:768px){.gibhIT{display:flex;position:relative;align-items:flex-start;margin-top:12px}}.dxwzhm{display:flex;min-height:600px;justify-content:center}@media(min-width:1000px){.dxwzhm{min-height:450px}}.gHNATZ{min-height:600px}@media(min-width:1000px){.gHNATZ{min-height:450px}}.gHNATZ.mobile-only{display:block}@media(min-width:1000px){.gHNATZ.mobile-only{display:none}}.gHNATZ.desktop-only{display:none}@media(min-width:1000px){.gHNATZ.desktop-only{display:block;margin-bottom:16px}}.gHNATZ.desktop-only+p{margin-top:0}.gHNATZ .third-party-ad{position:sticky;top:16px}.blOrrc{width:100%;flex-grow:1}.blOrrc .amp-article-content[amp-access][amp-access-hide]{display:block;overflow:hidden;max-height:360px}.blOrrc .amp-article-content[amp-access][amp-access-hide] .social-share{display:none}.blOrrc .amp-article-content[amp-access][amp-access-hide].show-all-content{max-height:100%}@media(max-width:594px){.blOrrc .amp-article-content[amp-access][amp-access-hide]{max-height:530px}}.blOrrc .amp-newsletter-reg-gate{position:relative;left:-12px;width:calc(100% + 24px)}.blOrrc .social-share{width:100%;padding-top:10px;padding-bottom:20px}@media(min-width:768px){.blOrrc .social-share{justify-content:flex-start}}.blOrrc .social-share.sticky{display:none}@media(min-width:1000px){.blOrrc .social-share.sticky{display:flex;position:sticky;top:14px;width:34px;flex-direction:column;margin-top:0;margin-left:-25%;float:left}.blOrrc .social-share.sticky amp-social-share,.blOrrc .social-share.sticky .sc-mgcah7-0{margin:0 0 16px}.article-feature-video .blOrrc .social-share.sticky{margin-top:0}.article-feature:not(.article-feature-video) .blOrrc .social-share.sticky{margin-top:35%}}.blOrrc.sponsored-article img,.blOrrc.sponsored-article video{width:100%;max-width:602px;height:auto}.blOrrc.sponsored-article iframe{max-width:602px;max-height:400px}.blOrrc .under-article-prompt-donations{padding-bottom:8px;margin-top:-3px}.blOrrc .big-letter{--color:#222;display:flex;position:relative;width:0;height:0;align-items:center;justify-content:center;padding:40px;margin-top:22px;margin-right:12px;border:1px solid var(--color);float:left;font:normal 52px/1 'Indy Serif','Indy Serif Fallback',serif;text-transform:uppercase}.blOrrc .big-letter:first-child{margin-top:6px}.blOrrc .big-letter::before{position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;box-sizing:border-box;border:1px solid var(--color);border-radius:50%;content:''}.blOrrc #taboola-below-article-1{min-height:2350px}@media(min-width:768px){.blOrrc #taboola-below-article-1{min-height:3370px}}.blOrrc #taboola-below-article-1-split-num-1{min-height:130px}@media(min-width:768px){.blOrrc #taboola-below-article-1-split-num-1{min-height:415px}}.blOrrc .sc-fwko30-0+.sc-1xtsh2b-0{margin-top:-16px}@media(min-width:768px){.blOrrc{max-width:636px;margin:0}}@media(min-width:1000px){.blOrrc{max-width:624px;margin:0}.blOrrc.subscribed{max-width:636px}}@media(max-width:999px){.blOrrc{padding-right:0}.blOrrc .under-article-prompt-donations{margin-top:-18px}}.kvSKnI{display:flex;flex-wrap:wrap;justify-content:flex-start;margin-bottom:8px;color:#646464;font:normal 16px/20px 'Indy Sans','Indy Sans Fallback',sans-serif}@media(min-width:768px){.kvSKnI{width:70%;align-items:center;justify-content:flex-start;margin-bottom:0;font:normal 16px/24px 'Indy Sans','Indy Sans Fallback',sans-serif}}@media(min-width:1000px){.kvSKnI{width:70%;margin-bottom:0}}.eXEVFg{display:flex;height:20px;margin:0 12px 8px 0}.article-voices .eXEVFg{height:auto}@media(min-width:425px){.article-voices .eXEVFg{height:20px}}.eXEVFg::before{display:inline-block;align-self:center;margin-top:1px;margin-right:12px;content:'\2022';transform:scale(1.5)}.eXEVFg:first-child::before{content:none}@media(min-width:768px){.eXEVFg{height:24px;margin-bottom:0}.eXEVFg::before{margin-top:2px}}.eXEVFg time{display:block}.eXEVFg time::first-letter {text-transform:capitalize}.eUdsoy{color:#fff}.jGlqRq{display:inline-block;margin:0 12px 8px 0;color:#ef4757;font:bold 16px/20px 'Indy Sans','Indy Sans Fallback',sans-serif;letter-spacing:-0.5px}.jGlqRq:hover,.jGlqRq:active{color:#f58992}@media(min-width:768px){.jGlqRq{margin-bottom:0}}.enHDwq{margin:0 4px 8px 0}.enHDwq::before{display:inline-block;margin-top:2px;margin-right:12px;color:#646464;content:'\2022';transform:scale(1.5)}.enHDwq:first-child::before{display:none}@media(min-width:768px){.enHDwq{margin-bottom:0}}.jmYqVV::before{color:#fff}.hfnwMY{display:flex;justify-content:flex-start;padding:0;margin:0 0 16px}@media(min-width:768px){.hfnwMY{display:flex;width:30%;align-items:center;justify-content:flex-end;margin:0}}@media(min-width:1000px){.hfnwMY{width:30%}}.hrDjjf{padding-top:0;border-top:0;border-bottom:0}@media(min-width:768px){.hrDjjf{display:flex;flex-flow:row wrap;padding-bottom:16px}.hrDjjf .sc-1qz44j0-0{order:1}.hrDjjf .sc-1qz44j0-10{order:2}}@media(min-width:1000px){.hrDjjf{flex-direction:row}}.dnLbAr{padding:16px 12px 12px;text-align:left;font:bold 14px/18px 'Indy Sans','Indy Sans Fallback',sans-serif}@media(min-width:768px){.dnLbAr{padding:16px 16px 12px}}.article-infact .dnLbAr{padding:16px 0}@media(min-width:1000px){.dnLbAr{padding:24px 0 19px}.article-feature .dnLbAr{max-width:968px;margin:0 auto}}.dnLbAr a{color:#fff}.dnLbAr a:hover{color:#f58992}.dnLbAr a:hover::after{color:#fff}.dnLbAr a::after{margin-right:4px;margin-left:4px;content:'>'}.dnLbAr a:last-child::after{display:none}.azcVx{margin:0 0 20px;letter-spacing:0}.VFZbw{margin:0;color:#646464;font:normal 16px/20px 'Indy Sans','Indy Sans Fallback',sans-serif}@media(min-width:768px){.VFZbw{font:normal 18px/22px 'Indy Sans','Indy Sans Fallback',sans-serif}}@media(min-width:1000px){.VFZbw{font:normal 20px/24px 'Indy Sans','Indy Sans Fallback',sans-serif}}.VFZbw p{font:inherit}.article-feature .VFZbw a{font-weight:bold}.hsJCLD{max-width:968px;margin:0 auto;background:#222}@media(min-width:1000px){.hsJCLD{padding:0 16px}.parallax .hsJCLD{max-width:1240px}}.bJjAgi{font:bold 32px/36px 'Indy Serif','Indy Serif Fallback',serif;letter-spacing:-0.0156em}@media(min-width:768px){.bJjAgi{font:bold 44px/48px 'Indy Serif','Indy Serif Fallback',serif;letter-spacing:-0.0113em}}@media(min-width:1000px){.bJjAgi{font:bold 54px/58px 'Indy Serif','Indy Serif Fallback',serif;letter-spacing:-0.0092em}}.hZFQIi{background:#222}.hZFQIi .sc-qvufca-1{max-width:968px;background:#222}.hZFQIi .sc-qvufca-0{margin:0}@media(max-width:999px){.hZFQIi .sc-qvufca-0{margin:0 12px 0}}.hZFQIi .sc-22qwnu-0,.hZFQIi .sc-22qwnu-0 a{color:#fff}.hZFQIi .sc-qvufca-2,.hZFQIi .sc-aeekvc-0{color:#fff}.hZFQIi .sc-qvufca-2{margin:0 0 20px}.hZFQIi .sc-aeekvc-0{margin-bottom:16px}@keyframes slidedown-video{from{transform:translateY(-100%)}to{transform:translateY(0)}}@keyframes slideup-video{from{transform:translateY(200%)}to{transform:translateY(0)}}.ghXxSp .video-top-container-inner{position:relative}.ghXxSp .video-popout-close{display:none}.ghXxSp .video-hero-wrapper-inner{display:block}.ghXxSp .video-hero-video{width:100%;margin:0;transition:height .2s}.ghXxSp .video-hero-wrapper.sticky-video{position:fixed;top:95px;width:400px;margin-left:-332px;transition:margin-left .3s,top .3s .1s}.ghXxSp .video-top-container.video.sticky:not(.closed) .video-hero-video{position:static;right:0;left:auto;width:100%}.ghXxSp .video-top-container.video.sticky:not(.closed) .video-hero-video.liveblog{margin-left:-12px}@media(min-width:768px){.ghXxSp .video-top-container.video.sticky:not(.closed) .video-hero-video{position:absolute;width:400px}}@media(min-width:1000px){.ghXxSp .video-top-container.video.sticky:not(.closed) .video-hero-video{top:94px;right:-56px}.ghXxSp .video-top-container.video.sticky:not(.closed) .video-hero-video.liveblog{right:-400px}}.ghXxSp .video-top-container.video.sticky:not(.closed) .video-hero-video .video-sticky-video{position:fixed;top:0;left:auto;z-index:9;width:100%;background-color:#fff;box-shadow:0 0 40px 10px rgba(0,0,0,0.5)}@media(min-width:768px){.ghXxSp .video-top-container.video.sticky:not(.closed) .video-hero-video .video-sticky-video{width:400px;animation:slidedown-video .4s}}@media(min-width:1000px){.ghXxSp .video-top-container.video.sticky:not(.closed) .video-hero-video .video-sticky-video{top:auto;bottom:0;animation:slideup-video .4s}}.ghXxSp .video-top-container.video.sticky:not(.closed) .video-popout-close{display:none;width:100%;box-sizing:border-box;align-items:center;justify-content:flex-end;padding:4px 8px 3px;color:#222;cursor:pointer;font-family:'Indy Sans','Indy Sans Fallback',sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:14px}@media(min-width:1000px){.ghXxSp .video-top-container.video.sticky:not(.closed) .video-popout-close{justify-content:flex-start}}.ghXxSp .video-top-container.video.sticky:not(.closed) .video-popout-close::after{display:flex;align-items:center;padding-left:4px;content:'\2715';font-size:12px}.ghXxSp .video-top-container.video.sticky:not(.closed) .video-popout-close.shown{display:flex}.rdSkV{max-width:100%}.DduFK{position:relative}.hBOwuD{position:relative;width:100%;padding-top:56.25%;background:#000}.fSyNsa{display:flex;position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;align-items:center;justify-content:center}.cZXjIc{width:10%}.bFEGho.fullscreen{position:fixed;top:0;left:0;z-index:3000000000;width:100%;height:100%;background:#000}.bFEGho .closebtn{display:none;position:absolute;top:0;right:0;width:100px;height:100px}.bFEGho .closebtn.show{display:block}.bFEGho .btn{position:absolute;top:5px;right:5px;width:25px;height:25px;color:#fff;font-family:helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:20px;line-height:25px;text-align:center}.JCJLP{max-width:100%;clear:both}.dyGKzS{--bleed:12px;display:flex;box-sizing:border-box;flex-direction:row;gap:32px;padding:16px var(--bleed);background-color:#fff}.article-liveblog .dyGKzS{background-color:#f7f7f7}@media(min-width:768px){.dyGKzS{--bleed:0;max-width:1000px;margin:0 auto}}@media(min-width:1000px){.dyGKzS{--bleed:16px;max-width:1000px;padding:var(--bleed)}}.gIldS{overflow:hidden;height:0;color:transparent}.kFPmfF{max-width:100%;margin:0 0 20px}.kFPmfF.sticky{position:sticky;top:16px}.iaRZct{min-height:600px}.iaRZct #mpu1{position:sticky;top:16px}.bFiDnI{min-height:250px}.jAzEot{max-width:100%}.eDScvc{margin:0 0 6px;color:#646464;font-family:'Indy Sans','Indy Sans Fallback',sans-serif;font-size:15px}.CmSgF{margin:0 0 12px}.lbFVDq{height:380px}.bsSHYO{width:100%;height:51px}.bjKtIv{margin-bottom:16px;border-bottom:1px solid #919191}.jLzsCV{margin-bottom:16px}.jLzsCV [role='listitem']{position:relative;margin-bottom:12px;border-bottom:1px solid #d3d3d3}.jLzsCV [role='listitem'] .sc-u4n1j-0{display:flex;position:absolute;bottom:16px;left:10px;width:32px;height:32px;align-items:center;justify-content:center;border-radius:50%;background-color:#ec1a2e}.jLzsCV [role='listitem'] .sc-u4n1j-0>svg{width:90%;fill:#fff;stroke:transparent}.jLzsCV [role='listitem']:first-child{display:block;padding-bottom:0;margin-bottom:12px}.jLzsCV [role='listitem']:first-child .sc-u4n1j-0{top:-15px;bottom:auto;left:12px;width:35px;height:35px}.jLzsCV [role='listitem']:first-child>*:first-child{display:block;width:100%;height:205px}.jLzsCV [role='listitem']:first-child>*:last-child{position:absolute;bottom:0;width:100%;padding:28px 12px 12px;background:linear-gradient(to top,#222 50%,rgba(34,34,34,0.9) 100%) no-repeat;color:#fff;font-size:17px;font-weight:bold}.jLzsCV [role='listitem']:last-child{margin-bottom:0;border-bottom:0 none}.kNZMQb{min-height:1924px}@media(max-width:767px){.kNZMQb{display:none}}.iFeFcz{width:308px}.iFeFcz.hidden{display:none}@media(max-width:999px){.iFeFcz{display:none}}.article-liveblog .fbWdwj{background-color:#f7f7f7}.eFgmkR{justify-content:center}.cvujVr{justify-content:center}
Stay up to date with notifications from The Independent Notifications can be managed in browser preferences.
Not now Yes please
News Science ‘Ancient metabolic reaction’ that may have kickstarted life on Earth unravelled by scientists Scientists call key chemical that may have sparked the reaction ‘Nickelback’
Subscribe to Independent Premium to bookmark this article Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Premium subscription today.
Subscribe Already subscribed? Log in Related video: Newly-Discovered Chemical May Exist On Extraterrestrial Ocean Moons Your support helps us to tell the story From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference. Close Read more A small protein molecule that scientists said is one of the most likely chemical candidates to have kickstarted life has been identified by them in an advance that could provide clues to detecting habitable planets beyond Earth .
The findings, published recently in the journal Science Advances , have important implications in the search for extraterrestrial life as it gives scientists a new clue to look for.
Researchers, including those from Rutgers University in the US, found a simple peptide molecule with two nickel atoms is one of the most likely molecules that sparked life on Earth.
They have called the short protein molecule “Nickelback ” due to its backbone nitrogen atoms bonding with two nickel atoms.
“Scientists believe that sometime between 3.5 and 3.8 billion years ago there was a tipping point, something that kickstarted the change from prebiotic chemistry – molecules before life – to living, biological systems,” study co-author Vikas Nanda said in a statement.
“We believe the change was sparked by a few small precursor proteins that performed key steps in an ancient metabolic reaction . And we think we’ve found one of these ‘pioneer peptides’,” Dr Nanda said.
In the study, scientists hoped to understand how proteins evolved to become the predominant catalyst of life on Earth.
The research can help astronomers look for signs of past, present or emerging life, and for specific life signature molecules in other parts of the universe.
Researchers reasoned that an original chemical that sparked life would need to be simple enough to assemble spontaneously in the water bodies of early Earth, but the chemical also had to be sufficiently reactive.
They started by examining existing contemporary proteins known to be associated with metabolic processes and pared them down to their basic structure.
Scientists found that the best candidate was Nickelback – a peptide made of 13 amino acids that binds two nickel ions – as the element Nickel was also abundant in Earth’s early oceans.
When bound to the peptide, researchers said, the nickel atoms become potent catalysts.
“This is important because, while there are many theories about the origins of life, there are very few actual laboratory tests of these ideas. This work shows that, not only are simple protein metabolic enzymes possible, but that they are very stable and very active – making them a plausible starting point for life,” Dr Nanda added.
Thank you for registering Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged in Please refresh your browser to be logged in
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments