Stromatolites: The Oldest Fossil
20 Jun 2022
Stromatolites (derived from the Greek word for "layered rock") are the fossilized remnants of an ancient reef formed by microorganisms.
The characteristic pattern on stromatolites is from sedimentary rock settling on said microorganisms. Stromatolites are the oldest known macrofossil, dating back over 3 Billion years! Making up 80% of the Earth's known fossil history, stromatolites are hugely important.
It is entirely possible that a group of photosynthetic cyanobacteria (one of the organisms responsible for forming stromatolites) produced the oxygen present in the Earths atmosphere. That oxygen made it possible for higher life forms (plants, animals, even humans!) to develop.
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