This discovery might necessitate a revision of our understanding of life’s evolution, as 2-billion-year-old microbes suggest prior microbial existence in ancient, previously unthought-of geological layers.
Lead study author Yohey Suzuki expressed excitement about finding these living microorganisms, noting that until this discovery, the oldest were found in a 100-million-year-old deposit under the sea.
The microbes found in the ancient rock have evolved at an incredibly slow rate over 2 billion years, which could provide critical insights into early life’s genetic development.
This ancient rock serves as a time machine into Earth’s past, shedding light on microbial evolution and possibly informing our search for life on other planets.
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