This is the oldest evidence of life on Earth
These microorganisms in layers of quartz at the site of the Novuagetok Geological Belt - AFP
Researchers announced their discovery of fossilized microorganisms dating back to a minimum of 3.77 billion years ago and 4.29 billion years, making them the oldest evidence of the existence of life on Earth, according to a study.
These scientists discovered these microorganisms in layers of quartz at the site of the Nouveaugatec Geological Belt in northeastern Quebec (Canada). The results were published in the journal Nature.
Matthew Dido from University College London (UCL) said in a video published on the magazine's website, "Thanks to laser images of the samples taken, we were able to determine the presence of micro-fossils that are the oldest in the world."
Its diameter is half the diameter of a human hair. Its length may reach half a millimeter, he added.
Matthew Dodd emphasized, “The most important thing about these discoveries is that life was able to take off early on Earth, which raises interesting questions” about what happened on Mars and other regions of the universe.
"Did the same thing happen on other planets?" he asked. These microorganisms were detected in the Novoagituk Belt, an outcrop extending along the coast of Quebec, which is known to contain the oldest rock discovered to date (4.29 billion years old). Dominique Babineau, also from UCL University and the main supervisor of the study, explained, “It has been dated by reliable means, but it is still the subject of controversy.”
He added that scientists were cautious and estimated that these fossils date back at least to "3.77 billion years."
This means that it is 300 million years older than the oldest fossils of microorganisms found so far. These fossils were found in Australia and date back to 3,460 billion years, as Dominique Papineau explained.
Source: websites