This indicates the presence of oxygen and ozone in the atmosphere
23.12.2000
Life on land began more than 1.4 billion years before what was thought until now - geologists believe.
Until now it was accepted that microorganisms existed in the oceans already about 3.8 billion years ago. It was not known when these creatures changed and came to live on earth. The earliest evidence of life on land was found in Arizona in 1.2 million year old fossils. But scientists recently discovered organic matter 2.6 billion years old in rocks in South Africa.
"As a result, the researchers from the University of Pennsylvania reported, we conclude that the significant development of life on land occurred over 1.4 billion years earlier than previously reported."
Yumiko Watanabe who reported on the research for the scientific journal "Nature" stated that the question of when the microorganisms "came up" from the water to the land is important, because it provides new information about the presence of the oxygen necessary for life and the creation of the ozone layer that protects the earth.
Hiroshi Omoto, a geochemist, believes there are even earlier samples of life on Earth. He and his colleagues plan to scour sites in Australia, Canada and elsewhere to find them.
