Trace of Early Earth Organisms Found in 3.5 Billion-Year-Old Stalactites in Australia, a discovery that could significantly advance the search for extraterrestrial life.
These stalactite formations containing Stromatolites are from the Dresser Formation in Western Australia. Stromatolites are solid, layered structures believed to reflect the complex interplay of microbial communities and their surrounding environments, although this has been a subject of debate for many years.
In a new study, a team of scientists led by the Natural History Museum in London examined the 3.48 billion-year-old stalactites using optical and electron microscopy, tomography, and various other advanced tools to validate the biological origins of the Stromatolites.
They successfully identified several biological origin features in a scientific report recently published in the journal Geology.
An ancient stalactite containing Stromatolite – (Photo: Hickman-Lewis).
According to Sci-News, the indicators include heterogeneous layering patterns, voids arising from the anaerobic decomposition of organic materials, and cylindrical structures associated with phototrophic microorganisms…
This discovery adds to the potential of the Western Australia region in researching the origins of life on Earth, as it has also revealed biological signatures in sediments aged 3 to 4 billion years.
Moreover, it opens an exciting new avenue, as the composition of Stromatolites, largely replaced by hematite due to recent weathering, bears a striking resemblance to sedimentary rocks found on Mars.
This is not surprising, as many studies suggest that Venus, Earth, and Mars were formed in similar ways and set the stage for life, although it appears that only one planet has truly succeeded in sustaining life to this day.
“The sedimentary rocks on the surface of Mars have also undergone similar widespread oxidation and primarily consist of iron oxides” – the authors noted.
Thus, these findings on Earth will serve as a model, an important guide for Mars exploration equipment, especially the highly anticipated NASA Perseverance rover, which is exploring the massive Jezero crater, where an ancient impact created a vast river plain that the space agency believes once harbored life.
