830-MY-Old Organisms Found In Mineral Salt - Potentially Alive

[EnolaGaia]

Prokaryotic and algal organisms have been discovered encased in halite (rock salt) tentatively dated to 830 million years ago. Even more interesting - the researchers suggest some of these entombed organisms may still be "alive" (viable).

Potentially Alive 830-Million-Year-Old Organisms Found Trapped in Ancient Rock

A team of geologists has just discovered tiny remnants of prokaryotic and algal life – trapped inside crystals of halite dating back to 830 million years ago.

Halite is sodium chloride, also known as rock salt, and the discovery suggests that this natural mineral could be a previously untapped resource for studying ancient saltwater environments.

Moreover, the organisms trapped therein may still be alive.

The extraordinary study also has implications for the search for ancient life, not just on Earth, but in extraterrestrial environments, such as Mars, where large salt deposits have been identified as evidence of ancient, large-scale liquid water reservoirs. ...

FULL STORY: https://www.sciencealert.com/830-million-year-old-microorganisms-found-trapped-in-australian-rock

 

[EnolaGaia]

Here are the bibliographic details and abstract from the published report. The full report (PDF) is accessible at the link below.

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Sara I. Schreder-Gomes, Kathleen C. Benison, Jeremiah A. Bernau
830-million-year-old microorganisms in primary fluid inclusions in halite.
Geology 2022
doi: https://doi.org/10.1130/G49957.1

ABSTRACT
Primary fluid inclusions in bedded halite from the 830-m.y.-old Browne Formation of central Australia contain organic solids and liquids, as documented with transmitted light and ultraviolet–visible (UV-vis) petrography. These objects are consistent in size, shape, and fluorescent response with cells of prokaryotes and eukaryotes and with organic compounds. This discovery shows that microorganisms from saline depositional environments can remain well preserved in halite for hundreds of millions of years and can be detected in situ with optical methods alone. This study has implications for the search for life in both terrestrial and extraterrestrial chemical sedimentary rocks.

SOURCE: https://pubs.geoscienceworld.org/gs...30-million-year-old-microorganisms-in-primary

 

[TangletwigsDeux]

Here are the bibliographic details and abstract from the published report. The full report (PDF) is accessible at the link below.

---

Sara I. Schreder-Gomes, Kathleen C. Benison, Jeremiah A. Bernau
830-million-year-old microorganisms in primary fluid inclusions in halite.
Geology 2022
doi: https://doi.org/10.1130/G49957.1

ABSTRACT
Primary fluid inclusions in bedded halite from the 830-m.y.-old Browne Formation of central Australia contain organic solids and liquids, as documented with transmitted light and ultraviolet–visible (UV-vis) petrography. These objects are consistent in size, shape, and fluorescent response with cells of prokaryotes and eukaryotes and with organic compounds. This discovery shows that microorganisms from saline depositional environments can remain well preserved in halite for hundreds of millions of years and can be detected in situ with optical methods alone. This study has implications for the search for life in both terrestrial and extraterrestrial chemical sedimentary rocks.

SOURCE: https://pubs.geoscienceworld.org/gs...30-million-year-old-microorganisms-in-primary

Not scary at all ...

 

[Mythopoeika]

It's like meeting our ancestors!