Fossil Older Than Oxygen on Earth Found in Australia

Fossil Older Than Oxygen on Earth Found in Australia

www.usnews.com

Researchers have found fossils of bacteria that are nearly 3.5 billion years old, believed to be the oldest visible fossils ever uncovered.

The fossils, found in northwest Australia's Pilbara region, are from a time before oxygen existed on Earth and are from just one billion years after Earth's formation, according to Old Dominion University's Nora Noffke, one of the researchers who worked on the project.

The fossils are imprints found on sandstone that was formed when microbes interacted"I can confidently say the structures we're working on cannot be found on older rocks—until n

(visit the link for the full news article)

I have always been interested in our earth's ancient past all the way to it's formation which I'm still uncertain about, as most of us are since most of what he have to go on are theories and speculation based on various finds, many which are still disputed.

This find appears to be rather important as the fossil existed at a time when it is alleged to have no oxygen on earth so they fed on sulfur which leads us back to the "primordial ooze" theories that have been floating around but have been unable to prove.

There have been similar finds in the past but none have been as well preserved as this one. Maybe this find can help us better understand our earth's conditions back then and the bacteria that were able to survive under these conditions which could also lead to a better understanding of what caused these bacteria to evolve as our earth's conditions changed.

The article even mentions the possibility of these bacteria to survive on Mars, but this is purely speculation but interesting nonetheless.

www.usnews.com
(visit the link for the full news article)

Man just crazy to think about. I always wonder how the hell they are able to carbon date and all that jazz. I mean were talking about 3.5 billion years ago. Anyways...it just amazes me about what our Earth was at one point and what it will be one day.

reply to post by Corruption Exposed


Stromatolite have been around at least that long and were mostly responsible for the oxygen in our atmosphere. There are still living examples around the world.

Stromatolite - wiki

Originally posted by HawkeyeNation
Man just crazy to think about. I always wonder how the hell they are able to carbon date and all that jazz. I mean were talking about 3.5 billion years ago. Anyways...it just amazes me about what our Earth was at one point and what it will be one day.

Makes you wonder if carbon dating is a good means of finding the age of a fossil

this was posted yesterday

www.abovetopsecret.com...

i know i know, different forums
are the discoverers positive its an earth bacteria?

I believe it is a poorly written article.

Oxygen on Earth predates any form of life on Earth. They didn't say free oxygen, just oxygen.

Oxygen in the atmosphere is another thing entirely, but they said, 'oxygen on Earth'.

Originally posted by camaro68ss

Originally posted by HawkeyeNation
Man just crazy to think about. I always wonder how the hell they are able to carbon date and all that jazz. I mean were talking about 3.5 billion years ago. Anyways...it just amazes me about what our Earth was at one point and what it will be one day.

Makes you wonder if carbon dating is a good means of finding the age of a fossil

edit on 3-1-2013 by camaro68ss because: (no reason given)

Wont be carbon dating since that is only effective for tens of thousands of years. To go back millions you have to look at isotopes of other elements.

Originally posted by GezinhoKiko
this was posted yesterday

www.abovetopsecret.com...

i know i know, different forums
are the discoverers positive its an earth bacteria?

Thanks, I did a search and nothing came up...

Next time I need a rent-a-mod I will give you a call

From what I gather those who discovered this bacteria believe it is from the earth but this is their own theory and your mention of it being of extra-terrestrial origin is just as plausible

This discovery rocks.

I know, that was terrible. However, genuinely, this is fascinating news. Any discovery from that period would be interesting, but a fossil of an organism that dates back to before the oxygen liberation that made the atmosphere we know and love possible.... that is breathtaking to contemplate. I can only imagine the amazement and wonder that must have passed across the faces of the researchers and scientists involved.

Without knowing more about the fossil in question, it is difficult to say how much they will be able to learn from the fossil, but I would have thought that given its age, there is a good chance that this discovery will refine and sharpen our view of the depths of the past, if properly examined.

Originally posted by butcherguy
I believe it is a poorly written article.

Oxygen on Earth predates any form of life on Earth. They didn't say free oxygen, just oxygen.

Oxygen in the atmosphere is another thing entirely, but they said, 'oxygen on Earth'.

I am not doubting you as I am in no position to argue your point due to my lack of concrete knowledge when it comes to this topic, but would you care to elaborate on this point of the article?

The fossils, found in northwest Australia's Pilbara region, are from a time before oxygen existed on Earth and are from just one billion years after Earth's formation, according to Old Dominion University's Nora Noffke, one of the researchers who worked on the project.

According to Old Dominion University's Nora Noffke, there was no oxygen on earth 3.5 billion years ago so are you saying that she is incorrect? I am assuming that in your opinion which may be based on factual knowledge that she is incorrect?

You said oxygen predates any form of life on earth but you have not provided any evidence to support this. Probably because as I mentioned in my OP all we have are theories which cannot be proven to be factual.

Many people believe that oxygen is not required for certains forms of life to exist. This brings me back to the primordal ooze theory I mentioned earlier on in my OP where various scientists have speculated that life can survive in an oxygenless environment, regretably for believers of this theory, it has not been replicated to the best of my knowledge. I believe that there is a possibility of life on earth before oxygen was present as long as the theory of bacteria who can survive in oxygenless environments is true, perhaps even bacteria that was extra terrestrial that crashed into our earth various methods could have contributed to this existence.

I'm not saying you are wrong but would appreciate a more in depth explanation of how you reached your conclusion as this topic does interest me and like to hear all sides of opinion and perception when it comes to this subject.

Originally posted by Corruption Exposed

Originally posted by butcherguy
I believe it is a poorly written article.

Oxygen on Earth predates any form of life on Earth. They didn't say free oxygen, just oxygen.

Oxygen in the atmosphere is another thing entirely, but they said, 'oxygen on Earth'.

I am not doubting you as I am in no position to argue your point due to my lack of concrete knowledge when it comes to this topic, but would you care to elaborate on this point of the article?

The fossils, found in northwest Australia's Pilbara region, are from a time before oxygen existed on Earth and are from just one billion years after Earth's formation, according to Old Dominion University's Nora Noffke, one of the researchers who worked on the project.

According to Old Dominion University's Nora Noffke, there was no oxygen on earth 3.5 billion years ago so are you saying that she is incorrect? I am assuming that in your opinion which may be based on factual knowledge that she is incorrect?

You said oxygen predates any form of life on earth but you have not provided any evidence to support this. Probably because as I mentioned in my OP all we have are theories which cannot be proven to be factual.

He's saying it's a really bad paraphrasing of the truth. There's a difference between free oxygen in the atmosphere and oxygen as an element on earth. The latter has always been here and long pre-dates life. Oxygen as an element is in a lot of molecules, including carbon dioxide, but free oxygen, aka O2, is what we humans need to breathe to survive.

reply to post by Corruption Exposed


rent-a-mod?

behave




without me linking to the other thread you wouldnt of been able to pop over to it and star and flag it

Originally posted by GezinhoKiko
reply to post by Corruption Exposed

 

rent-a-mod?

behave

I was on my best behavior

Honest, I meant no disrespect.

I just found it slightly rude on your behalf to advertise the other thread, then go on to admit that you are aware that it's in a different forum, so therefore that portion of your post was rather pointless as my thread falls within terms and conditions and that is where my rent-a-mod comment came from due to the redundancy of your thinly veiled off topic deflection.

I was even polite enough to acknowledge the rest of your post that actually fell within the topic of the OP, and just so you know I even went to the other thread and gave the OP a star and a flag and even posted a comment.

Peace.

reply to post by Corruption Exposed


i know
chill out friend
just wanted to give the other poster of the other thread some credit
its all good

and no it wasnt off topic considering its the exact same topic

reply to post by ngchunter


Thank you for your opinion and clarification on their behalf. A lot of what you said makes perfect sense but I am still interested in their explanation of what I asked though.

Now that you mention it perhaps the article could have been worded more efficiently.

They didn't find bacteria. From the article au.news.yahoo.com...
"They are textures on the surfaces of sandstone thought to be sculpted by once-living organisms, Dr Noffke said."

Also,
"The ancient Pilbara region was once shoreline and rocks made from sediment piled up billions of years ago are now exposed and available for examination."

If you have water, you have free oxygen.

Originally posted by veubiah
If you have water, you have free oxygen.

Not really, you have h2o. You would still be required to complete a process to free it from the hydrogen bond. Just like if the were CO2, or CO... or any other oxide. Free oyxgen means that, O flitting about.

That said, if this is "proof" of life it simply shows how resilient life is and how life most likely is abundant in the 'Verse and that we need to renew/revise our searches.

Derek

Originally posted by Corruption Exposed

Originally posted by butcherguy
I believe it is a poorly written article.

Oxygen on Earth predates any form of life on Earth. They didn't say free oxygen, just oxygen.

Oxygen in the atmosphere is another thing entirely, but they said, 'oxygen on Earth'.

I am not doubting you as I am in no position to argue your point due to my lack of concrete knowledge when it comes to this topic, but would you care to elaborate on this point of the article?

The fossils, found in northwest Australia's Pilbara region, are from a time before oxygen existed on Earth and are from just one billion years after Earth's formation, according to Old Dominion University's Nora Noffke, one of the researchers who worked on the project.

According to Old Dominion University's Nora Noffke, there was no oxygen on earth 3.5 billion years ago so are you saying that she is incorrect? I am assuming that in your opinion which may be based on factual knowledge that she is incorrect?

You said oxygen predates any form of life on earth but you have not provided any evidence to support this. Probably because as I mentioned in my OP all we have are theories which cannot be proven to be factual.

Many people believe that oxygen is not required for certains forms of life to exist. This brings me back to the primordal ooze theory I mentioned earlier on in my OP where various scientists have speculated that life can survive in an oxygenless environment, regretably for believers of this theory, it has not been replicated to the best of my knowledge. I believe that there is a possibility of life on earth before oxygen was present as long as the theory of bacteria who can survive in oxygenless environments is true, perhaps even bacteria that was extra terrestrial that crashed into our earth various methods could have contributed to this existence.

I'm not saying you are wrong but would appreciate a more in depth explanation of how you reached your conclusion as this topic does interest me and like to hear all sides of opinion and perception when it comes to this subject.

edit on 1/3/2013 by Corruption Exposed because: (no reason given)

Not trying to butt into your guys' conversation here, but thought I would shine some outside light on your topic.

These bacteria are not unknown.

Not sure exactly how much they have in common with Prokaryotes, but, same age. 3.5bil years.

Prokaryote

There has *always* been oxygen here on this rock.

Oxygen is the 3rd most abundant element in all space.

And there is oxygen everywhere in outer space, not just here on Earth.

Oxygen in Space

Everything is from outside this rock. This rock itself was formed from outside elements. Nothing is created or destroyed, it just changes form. This planet didn't come out of nowhere, it's all alien material.

Oh, and we have known about bacteria that don't need oxygen for almost 3 years now.

New Species of Bacteria

Just trying to keep your guys' conversation moving forward


Oh, and as for the topic of Transpermia (life originating from outside Earth), that was the basis of my very first thread here on ATS one year ago.

Mystery of the Mitochondria

I have always said life does not require oxygen. I once found a 12 billion year old fossil that I dated myself based on sediments.