Humans may owe more than smooth feet to pumice, claim scientists

Pumice, the rock used remove dry skin from feet, could have been responsible for the birth of life on Earth, scientists have claimed.

By Richard Gray,

Science Correspondent

It is commonly known for its ability to remove dry skin from feet, but pumice stone may have had a far more important role in our lives than we realise.

Scientists claim the rock, which is produced as volcanic gases bubble through lava as it solidifies, may have been responsible for the birth of life on Earth more than 3.5 billion years ago.

In a surprising new theory for how life evolved our planet, palaeobiologists believe the tiny pores in the volcanic rock provided the perfect environment for the first living cells to develop.

Read more »