Final answer:
The hypothesis that life on Earth has extraterrestrial origins is supported by meteorite analysis, which has found organic compounds. However, no definitive evidence of living organisms from space has been found, and the theory of panspermia mainly suggests the transfer of life's building blocks rather than life itself.
Step-by-step explanation:
The theory that elements for life came from outer space is supported by evidence such as meteorite analysis revealing organic compounds. This is in alignment with the panspermia hypothesis, which suggests life, or the buildings blocks thereof, may have been brought to Earth via comets, meteorites, or asteroids. Supporting this idea, analysis of meteorites has found the presence of organic molecules, evidencing that essential life components could be delivered from extraterrestrial origins.
Additionally, laboratory experiments by scientists like Stanley Miller and Harold Urey have shown that organic compounds could form from inorganic molecules given early Earth conditions. However, despite these findings, there is no direct evidence of extraterrestrial organisms or cryptobiotic life forms on meteorites to conclusively prove that life itself originated from outer space.