New findings indicate that diverse life existed on our planet before many thought possible — which might mean it’s easier for life to evolve than we thought.
A new analysis of the oldest known microbial fossils revealed that several diverse types of organisms existed more than 3.4 billion years ago.
The finding indicates that life first evolved on Earth long before that.
If life existed in so many forms that early in Earth’s history, it suggests a higher likelihood that life has evolved elsewhere, too.
“If the conditions are right, it looks like life in the universe should be widespread,” said one of the authors who led the study.
The mysterious story of how life on Earth began just became a bit clearer, thanks to a new analysis of the oldest known fossil microorganisms.
Findings from that analysis indicate that diverse life existed on our planet far before many scientists thought it was possible.
Tech: The oldest known fossils show life on Earth began more than 3.5 billion years ago — and indicate life in the universe may be common
