The oldest fossil on Earth

Scientists have discovered bacterial fossils dating back to 3.4 billion years in Australia. These are the oldest fossils in the world today.

The team, led by Dr. Martin Brasier of the University of Oxford (UK), has discovered cell-like bacterial fossils in the Strelley Pool area in western Australia. Scientists say these fossils are protected between the oldest quartz layers on Earth.

Analyzing excavated fossil samples, scientists speculate that the bacteria lived 3.4 billion years ago and they use sulfur gas instead of oxygen to convert it into energy. This may be evidence that life forms can exist in low oxygen or no oxygen on other planets in the universe.

"We can confirm that the rock layers where fossils are found are 3.4 billion years ago," Reuters quoted Dr. Martin Brasier as saying . This finding is evidence that oxygen-deficient habitats like Mars are not a problem for life to exist. '

Scientists have hypothesized that the Earth 3.4 billion years ago was a dark and hot place with volcanoes operating violently and being attacked by meteors. The sky was then covered in gray clouds, causing the heat from the Sun to be weaker than today, but the temperatures of the oceans were still between 40-50 degrees Celsius.

The team also observed that at this time, the Earth had very little oxygen because there were no trees and created to photosynthesize and produce oxygen. Dr. Martin Brasier said: 'It is a picture of hell. Not the ideal place for our lives. But for bacteria, this is an ideal environment. '