Fossils: November 2019

The search for evidence of life on Mars could be helped by fresh insights into ancient rocks on Earth. Research which suggests that structures previously thought to be fossils may, in fact, be mineral deposits could save future Mars missions valuable time and resources.

Stromatolites are complex microbial mats that form lithified layers and ancient forms are the oldest evidence of life on earth, dating back over 3.4 billion years. Their emergence aligns with the oxygenation of the Earth's atmosphere and insight into these ancient structures would shed light on the earliest days of Earth.