A team of scientists has uncovered evidence suggesting that complex life on Earth may have emerged 1.5 billion years earlier than previously believed.
Their findings, reported from Gabon, indicate that environmental conditions suitable for animal life existed as far back as 2.1 billion years ago.
Nutrient-rich inland sea
The research team discovered fossil-like formations deep within rocks in Gabon, which they argue point to a nutrient-rich inland sea capable of supporting early life forms.
This environment, they propose, was rich in oxygen and phosphorus due to volcanic activity caused by the collision of two continental plates.
These conditions could have supported simple, brainless organisms similar to modern slime molds.
Professor Ernest Chi Fru from Cardiff University, who led the international research effort, explained that their findings suggest the presence of early complex life forms.
He compared these organisms to modern slime molds, which reproduce with spores and exhibit basic life processes.
Chi Fru’s team believes that this early ecosystem provided sufficient energy for the development of larger and more complex life forms.
Controversy and debate
This theory is controversial and not universally accepted. Most scientists currently believe that complex life began around 635 million years ago, with the emergence of the Cambrian explosion.
Critics, including Professor Graham Shields from University College London, express skepticism about the link between the high nutrient levels and the diversification of complex life.
Shields argues that while elevated nutrients might have been present, more evidence is needed to prove that they directly led to the development of complex organisms.
The debate over these findings is part of an ongoing discussion about the Francevillian formations in Gabon, which have been the subject of scrutiny and debate since their discovery.
The new research builds on earlier theories that suggested these formations could be fossils of early life.
PhD student Elias Rugen from the Natural History Museum acknowledges the significance of the findings but stresses that further evidence is required.
He notes that while the research adds a compelling dimension to our understanding of early life, it is crucial to confirm these results with additional data.
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First uploaded on: 30-07-2024 at 05:08 IST
