New Oldest Fossils

Fossils discovered in Australian rocks may be the remnants of three and a half billion-year-old microorganisms.

Written byJef Akst

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Parts of two microfossils occurring with numerous crystals of pyrite.DAVID WACEY

New fossils discovered on an ancient inland beach in Western Australia are pushing back the timing of life's origin on Earth. Martin Brasier, a palaeobiologist at the University of Oxford, UK, and his collaborators found what appears to be fossils of cells in black sandstone dating to 3.4 billion years ago, according to the paper published in Nature Geoscience yesterday (August 21).

Proving that the traces actually are an example of the planet's earliest life is not easy, however. Previously discovered "fossils" dating to the same period turned out to be the remains of inorganic materials. But Brasier believes these new fossils are the real deal. They range in size from 5 to 80 micrometers in diameter, and are shaped like spheres and elongated rods. ...

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Meet the Author

Jef Akst
Jef (an unusual nickname for Jennifer) got her master’s degree from Indiana University in April 2009 studying the mating behavior of seahorses. After four years of diving off the Gulf Coast of Tampa and performing behavioral experiments at the Tennessee Aquarium in Chattanooga, she left research to pursue a career in science writing. As The Scientist's managing editor, Jef edited features and oversaw the production of the TS Digest and quarterly print magazine. In 2022, her feature on uterus transplantation earned first place in the trade category of the Awards for Excellence in Health Care Journalism. She is a member of the National Association of Science Writers.
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