Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

World's Oldest Fossils Found On Australian Beach

Posted by Soulskill on from the who-knew-larry-king-liked-to-vacation-these dept.

sciencehabit writes "Researchers say they have discovered the fossils of 3.4-billion-year-old cells in between the cemented sand grains of an ancient beach in Western Australia, possibly the oldest fossils ever found (abstract). Chemical analyses of the minerals near the cells suggest the microorganisms depended on sulfur for fuel. Such a beach might have been life's first breeding ground, one author says."

3 of 80 comments (clear)

  1. Re:probably wasn't a beach... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Informative

    I am not a geologist.

    Good thing.

  2. Errata by vtcodger · · Score: 3, Informative

    They are fossils OF a beach, not fossils ON a beach -- More specifically what appear to be fossil remains of microbes that lived in beach sand.

    --
    You can't see ANYTHING from a car, You've got to get out of the goddamned contraption and walk...Edward Abbey
  3. Re:probably wasn't a beach... by Tr3vin · · Score: 4, Informative

    The fossils were from a sedimentary formation that was most likely a beach. They date back to 3.4 billion years ago and there is evidence that large amounts of water existed as far back as 4.4 billion years.