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Determining how much Earth has taken root in Earth's history has been a huge challenge for scientists over the years. It can be difficult to find fossils dating back tens of millions of years, but when does the timeline extend over several billion years? Well, let's just say it's exponentially more difficult.
Researchers at the University of New South Wales, Australia, have discovered what appears to be indisputable evidence of a microbial life dating back to 3.5 billion years ago. The tiny ancient fossils found in some of Earth's oldest rocks contribute to the idea that life on our planet began billions of years before humans began to look back.
The rocks that made this possible were discovered in the 1980s. Appearing to show fossilized microbial structures called stromatolites, the artifacts have been preserved for decades, although proving that the beginning of life created the tiny formations was frustrating for researchers.
However, with modern technology, it has become possible to actually test fossil candidates for the evidence that scientists need to definitively assert that microbial life was present, and that is exactly what the researchers did. They discovered remains of tiny life forms that died three and a half billion years ago.
"The organic matter we found preserved in stromatolite pyrite is exciting. We are looking at exceptionally preserved coherent filaments and filaments that are typically microbial biofilm residues, "said Dr. Raphael Baumgartner, principal investigator of the study, in a statement. "I was quite surprised. We never expected to find this level of evidence before I started this project. "
Even before this evidence was discovered, many scientists had accepted a chronology of life on Earth that dated back about 3.5 billion years ago. Nevertheless, having ample evidence to support this claim is extremely beneficial, and there should be little doubt that microbes have populated our planet billions of years before our arrival.
Image Source: UNSW SYDNEY
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