Complex Life on Earth Began 1.5 Billion Years Earlier Than Thought, Cardiff Uni Study Claims
A new study led by Cardiff University suggests that complex life on Earth began around 2.1 billion years ago
Last updated 31st Jul 2024
A new study led by Cardiff University suggests that complex life on Earth began around 2.1 billion years ago, 1.5 billion years earlier than previously believed.
Researchers uncovered evidence of an ancient ecosystem in the Franceville Basin, Gabon, resulting from unique underwater volcanic activity.
This event created a nutrient-rich environment that served as a "laboratory" for early biological evolution.
The study, published in Precambrian Research, highlights the importance of phosphorus and oxygen in seawater for the development of complex life.
Dr. Ernest Chi Fru, the lead author, explains that the nutrient-rich conditions fostered the growth of large, simple animal-like organisms.
He said: "The availability of phosphorus in the environment is thought to be a key component in the evolution of life on Earth, especially in the transition from simple single cell organisms to complex organisms like animals and plants.
“We already know that increases in marine phosphorus and seawater oxygen concentrations are linked to an episode of biological evolution around 635 million years ago.
“Our study adds another, much earlier episode into the record, 2.1 billion years ago.”
This discovery challenges the widely accepted timeline that animals first emerged 635 million years ago and suggests a two-step evolution of complex life on Earth, linked to major rises in atmospheric oxygen.
The research team, including experts from France and China, continues to explore the conditions that led to the appearance of these ancient life forms.