Earliest Evidence of Photosynthesis on Earth: Tiny Fossils from Ancient Rock Provide Groundbreaking Discoveries

Earth’s Oldest Photosynthesis Evidence

Tiny fossils that have spent about two billion years trapped in pieces of ancient rock provide the first evidence yet of photosynthesis on Earth.

Discovery in the McDermott Formation

In the McDermott Formation in the desert of northern Australia, small structures called thylakoids have been discovered in what are believed to be fossilized cyanobacteria dating back to 1.75 billion years ago.

Complexities of Photosynthesis

It may seem very complicated, but it is related to cell structures that can convert sunlight, water and carbon dioxide into energy and oxygen.

Importance of the Discovery

The oldest fossil containing direct evidence of oxygenic photosynthesis structures dates back to about half a billion years ago. However, the new discovery pushes the time scale back by 1.2 billion years.

University of Liège’s Report

The University of Liège in Belgium reported that a group of scientists has identified the basic structures for the production of oxygenated photosynthesis within fossilized microorganisms dating back 1.75 billion years, a discovery that represents the oldest fossil evidence of this vital metabolic process.

Role in the Great Oxidation Event

These structures are so simple in the grand scale of life on Earth now, but they were so crucial to the Great Oxidation Event (or Great Oxygenation), an important historical period on our planet that helped fill the atmosphere with breathable air, enabling life forms to flourish.

Evidence of Early Earth’s Atmosphere

It is believed that the first forms of life on Earth did not need oxygen to survive, as our planet’s primitive atmosphere consisted mainly of carbon dioxide, methane and water vapor, rather than the nitrogen and oxygen that make up the current atmosphere.

Controversies and Future Research

Scientists plan to search for ancient fossils and carefully study them to verify that thylakoid membranes were involved in oxygenating our planet during the Great Oxidation Event.

Conclusion

The new study was published in the journal Nature, allowing us to better understand the early emergence of photosynthesis and the fundamental role it played in shaping Earth’s atmosphere and enabling life to thrive.

Source: indy100

The post Earliest Evidence of Photosynthesis on Earth: Tiny Fossils from Ancient Rock Provide Groundbreaking Discoveries appeared first on asumetech.

from Technology - asumetech https://asumetech.com/earliest-evidence-of-photosynthesis-on-earth-tiny-fossils-from-ancient-rock-provide-groundbreaking-discoveries/