Scientists discover the world's oldest biological colors in the Sahara Desert

Australian researchers discovered the oldest biological color of the Sahara Desert, in a discovery that they explained on Tuesday why complex life forms appeared on Earth.

Pink pigments were produced by simple microscopic organisms called cyanobacteria. There is 1.1 billion years, some 500 million years older than previous color pigment discoveries

which makes the samples "fifteen times older" than the. Tyrannosaurus Rex dinosaur species, according to Jochen Brocks, researcher at the Australian National University. Previous research has shown that low levels of oxygen in the atmosphere have delayed the evolution of life of plants and animals, which has delayed by nearly $ 4.5 billion. ; years. complex life forms, but the discovery of cyanobacteria at such an early date suggests that "algae, although still microscopic, are a thousand times larger than cyanobacteria and are a much richer food source" said Mr Brocks to AFP.

"The cyanobacterial oceans began to disappear about 650 million years ago, when algae began to spread rapidly to provide the energy necessary for the evolution of complex ecosystems, where large animals, including humans, could thrive on Earth. "

Accidentally when an oil company drilling in the Taoudeni basin in West Africa sent rocks for analysis

Pigments are fossilized relics of chlorophyll, a chemical that allows plants and certain microscopic life forms to transform light into energy. the pink pigment that they discovered would originally appeared blue-green to the human eye.

The results were published Tuesday in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Science. / vvp

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