Why is phosphorus important for the formation of life?

A new study suggests lightning strikes that hit Earth after its formation may have unlocked a necessary chemical element to support the beginning of life. Researchers say the lightning may have supplied enough phosphorus to Earth during the first billion years after the planet was formed. Scientists believe life started on Earth about 3.5 to 4.5 billion years ago. Phosphorus is an important element for the formation of life. It helps form cell structures and supports DNA, the material present in nearly all living organisms. But on early Earth, phosphorus is believed to have been locked inside minerals that cannot dissolve in water.