On February 27, 2017, Prof. Sun Kwok, Director of the Laboratory for Space Research of the University of Hong Kong and President of Commission F3 Astrobiology of the International Astronomical Union (IAU), visited the International Space Science Institute in Beijing, and gave a talk at the National Space Science Center (NSSC) on "Stardust: The Cosmic Seeds of Life". In his impressive talk, Prof. Sun Kwok explored the question of how life originated on Earth.  

For over 50 years, scientists believed that life was the result of chemistry involving simple molecules such as methane and ammonia cooking in a primordial soup. Recent space observations have revealed that old stars are capable of making very complex organic compounds. The stars then ejected the organics and spread them all over the Milky Way Galaxy. There is evidence that these organic dust particles actually reached the early Solar System. Through bombardments by comets and asteroids, the early Earth inherited significant amounts of star dust. Was the development of life assisted by the arrival of these extraterrestrial materials? In his talk, Prof. Sun Kwok described discoveries in astronomy and solar system science over the last 10 years that resulted in a new perspective on the origin of life.