Through recent discoveries in Canada, a group of scientists claims that life existed on Earth earlier than previously thought. The evidence found reveals the presence of microbes in hydrothermal vents on the surface of the planet for at least 3.75 billion years. The discovery also reinforces hypotheses about the existence of life on other planets. To learn more about evidence of newly found multi-billion-year-old microorganisms in Canada, read the full article.
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The rock examined was taken from the region called Supracrustal Belt Nuvvuagittuq, located in Quebec, Canada. Its collection was made in 2008 and its estimated age is between 3.75 billion and 4.28 billion years.
To analyze the rock, they cut it into micro pieces of 100 microns (a thousandth of a millimeter), so that it was possible to observe the minuscule structures of the material. In this way, they were able to identify small filaments, as well as other structural evidence that indicated that the material had been created by bacteria.
Since all the structures present in the rock were unique, this is a great indication that their emergence comes from biological, not chemical, origin. This reinforces the idea of microbes present in the analyzed material.
In addition, evidence was also found of how the bacteria present in the analyzed fragment obtained energy, such as the presence of mineralized chemical by-products. According to the scientists, the elements used were similar to a variety of microbial life that may have existed just 300 million years after Earth's formation.
Due to the new discoveries, the scientific dating of the analyzed rock indicates that it may be at least 3.75 billion to 4.28 billion years old. Therefore, it is believed to be as old as volcanic rocks dating back to 4.28 billion years.
Before that, fossils with signs of life on Earth that held the title of "oldest", found in Western Australia, are approximately 3.46 billion years old. That is, 290 million years younger than the now oldest materials on the planet.
