On the volcanic island of Pantelleria, southwest of Sicily, a small alkaline lake tucked inside an ancient crater is revealing secrets about how life might have begun - both on Earth and possibly on Mars. Known locally as "Bagno dell’Acqua" or “Lago di Venere,” this thermal basin bubbles with heated, mineral-rich waters - creating a natural lab where the boundary between geology and biology blurs.

Scientists working far from high-tech labs have taken samples from this steamy lake - where temperatures hover between 35–58 °C and waters are loaded with alkaline minerals, silicates, and carbonates. In this unusual setting, they’ve managed to coax the synthesis of crucial biomolecules, including RNA and PNA fragments, from basic chemical precursors.