CARDIFF, Wales – A group of international scientists working in Gabon have made a groundbreaking discovery that challenges conventional beliefs about the timeline of complex life on Earth. The team claims to have found evidence within rocks dating back 2.1 billion years, suggesting that environmental conditions could have supported animal life far earlier than previously thought.
The research conducted by Professor Ernest Chi Fru and his colleagues at Cardiff University sheds light on a time when organisms, resembling brainless single-cell organisms like slime mold, may have thrived in an inland sea before eventually dying out. This discovery not only challenges existing theories on the origins of animal life but also sparks a heated debate among experts in the field.
The findings point to the presence of nutrients like oxygen and phosphorus in the rocks, indicating the potential for life to have been sustained in this ancient environment. While some scientists remain skeptical, others, like PhD student Elias Rugen at the Natural History Museum, acknowledge the significance of the research in providing insights into a crucial period in Earth’s history.
Professor Graham Shields of University College London, who was not involved in the study, expresses reservations about the claims made by Prof. Chi Fru, emphasizing the need for more concrete evidence to support the theory of early complex life forms. Despite the differing opinions within the scientific community, the research opens up new avenues for exploring the processes that may have led to the emergence of life on Earth billions of years ago.
The study also delves into the Francevillian formation, a site where fossils exhibiting evidence of movement and independent action were discovered a decade ago. By analyzing sediment cores from Gabon, the researchers were able to uncover clues about a unique environment that may have facilitated the growth and development of primitive life forms.
The discovery of a “nutrient-rich shallow marine inland sea” created by geological phenomena such as volcanic activity points to the complex interplay of chemical processes that could have fueled the evolution of life forms during this period. The presence of high levels of oxygen in the water is believed to have played a crucial role in promoting the growth of these early organisms, providing them with the energy needed for greater complexity and behavior.