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Rapid Emergence Of Life Shown By Discovery Of 3,700-Million-Year-Old Microbial Structures, Allen Phillip Nutman, Vickie C. Bennett, Clark R. L Friend, Martin J. Van Kranendonk, Allan Chivas

Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health - Papers: part A

Biological activity is a major factor in Earth's chemical cycles, including facilitating CO2 sequestration and providing climate feedbacks. Thus a key question in Earth's evolution is when did life arise and impact hydrosphere-atmosphere-lithosphere chemical cycles? Until now, evidence for the oldest life on Earth focused on debated stable isotopic signatures of 3,800-3,700 million year (Myr)-old metamorphosed sedimentary rocks and minerals1,2 from the Isua supracrustal belt (ISB), southwest Greenland3. Here we report evidence for ancient life from a newly exposed outcrop of 3,700-Myr-old metacarbonate rocks in the ISB that contain 1-4-cm-high stromatolites-macroscopically layered structures produced by microbial communities. The ISB stromatolites …