Carbon found in 3.95bn-year-old rocks is remnant of ancient life

[Political Junky]

A very interesting article.

Carbon found in 3.95bn-year-old rocks is remnant of ancient life – researchers

Life may have gained a foothold on Earth more than 4bn years ago, according to researchers who believe that fragments of carbon found in rocks in Canada are remnants of ancient organisms.

Researchers in Japan analysed graphite particles in rocks from the Saglek region of northern Labrador and found that they contained potential traces of life. In work last year, the team dated the band of rocks to 3.95bn years old.

The claim that these rocks contain remnants of life now faces intense scrutiny from other scientists, but if the research stands up, it suggests that the first organisms to emerge on Earth did so during one of the most violent periods in the planet’s history. Until 3.8bn years ago, the Earth was pounded by asteroids and comets left over from the formation of the solar system.

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[TNHarley]

It makes life around 300m years older than previously thought. It's awesome
But they found this a couple years ago.

 

[tycho1572]

I'll read the article when I go back into the house. Thanks again for sharing that.

 

[TNHarley]

Makes you wonder if we are older. Maybe it's all wrong. It is based off only what we know presently anyways

 

[Political Junky]

It makes life around 300m years older than previously thought. It's awesome
But they found this a couple years ago.

And just now made it to The Guardian.

 

[ScienceRocks]

It makes life around 300m years older than previously thought. It's awesome
But they found this a couple years ago.

Gives a good idea how easy live can spring up. Considering this reality makes it harder for me to believe that there isn't other life out there.

 

[IsaacNewton]

Yeah this is bumping up against the Late Heavy Bombardment which is dated between 4.1bn and 3.8bn years ago. That .3 billion years is 300 million years. How much time after this event did it take the Earth to cool. 4.1 - 3.95 = .15. A hundred and fifty million years. A long time, but long enough to cool off to allow life on the surface of the planet? Certainly water on the entire surface would boil and then turn back into rain and fall on an endless cycle for tens of millions of years. It's hard to believe life started under such conditions but nothing is impossible.

I'd say this is the absolute limit for the earliest life though, if it does turn out to be correct. The models and theories do accept the possibility of the Earth cooling in 100 million years after the LHB but not sooner. It is estimated that 22,000 strikes on Earth took place of asteroids 12 miles across with a few crater basins of up to 3,100 miles across. Much of this data extrapolated by what was found on the moon. The asteroid that killed the dinosaurs was 6 miles across.

Fascinating stuff, thanks for posting OP.

 

[Luddly Neddite]

“It may be difficult to create life before 3.8bn years ago due to the bombardment, which may destroy early life,” he said. “But now it is 4bn years. Life started on Earth during the heavy bombardment of meteorites, which is amazing.”
Or perhaps it is not. The Japanese team base their claims on the sole discovery that some pieces of graphite bore the same carbon isotope ratios that are seen in living organisms.

How about this little tidbit? ^^^

I had thought the first statement was true - that being bashed by other heavenly bodies (no, not that kind!) would destroy life.

Thanks Political Junky

 

[IsaacNewton]

“It may be difficult to create life before 3.8bn years ago due to the bombardment, which may destroy early life,” he said. “But now it is 4bn years. Life started on Earth during the heavy bombardment of meteorites, which is amazing.”
Or perhaps it is not. The Japanese team base their claims on the sole discovery that some pieces of graphite bore the same carbon isotope ratios that are seen in living organisms.

How about this little tidbit? ^^^

I had thought the first statement was true - that being bashed by other heavenly bodies (no, not that kind!) would destroy life.

Thanks Political Junky

The Japanese are making a stretch for sure but it is possible. And it likely is also possible if microorganisms existed in ice that was in various nooks and crannies of the bombarding asteroids that it could survive such an impact or be ejected before the asteroid struck the planet. But this would also suppose such life landed in water that was somehow shielded from boiling, which is also possible but the odds are getting out there. And as the microorganisms that populated the Earth from the first signs of life on Earth were adapted to survive on this planet in the ocean with it's unique makeup at the time one could easily postulate life had to arise on the Earth. During the LHB? Not likely. Either shortly before or shortly after in all probability. I would still say after. Occam's razor.

 

[Carl in Michigan]

and found that they contained potential traces of life

Let me spell that out for you.... SLOWLY,

P. O. T. E. N. T. I. A. L

if wishes were fishes

Funny how we read into things.

 

[MarkDuffy]

Sweet

Hot off the Nature presses

https://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v549/n7673/full/nature24019.html

Another link

Life on Earth may date back 3.95 bn years: study

Oldest evidence of life on Earth found in Canadian rocks

 

[MarkDuffy]

Complete Nature Letter

Early trace of life from 3.95 Ga sedimentary rocks in Labrador, Canada | Nature