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The Early Earth's Record of Supposed Extremophilic Bacteria and Cyanobacteria, at 3.8 to 2.5 GA

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Algae and Cyanobacteria in Extreme Environments

Part of the book series: Cellular Origin, Life in Extreme Habitats and Astrobiology ((COLE,volume 11))

The unambiguous evidence for the presence of life in the Archean is only limited by the preservation potential of sedimentary rocks. Throughout Earth’ preserved sedimentary deposits, prokaryotic bodily fossils and geochemical fossils, for example, products of the Calvin-cycle dependent carbon isotopic fractionation, can be found. Nevertheless, irreproducible analyses in organic geochemistry, misinterpretations of artifacts from sample preparation and of organic contaminants, and uncertainties on the age and nature of the Archean rock formations are copious in evaluation of the earliest traces of life.

The understanding of geological processes strongly influence discussions of the ancient, supposed biological relicts from c. 3.8 billion years old (3.8 Ga) metasedimentary rocks. The evidence for prokaryotic bodily preserved microfossils of the Neoarchean, at 2.7 to 2.5 Ga is by orders of magnitude stronger, as rocks of this age are abundant and better preserved.

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  1. Department of Earth – and Environmental Sciences, Ludwig Maximilians University & GeoBioCenter, Luisenstr. 37, D-80333, Munich, Germany

    Wladyslaw Altermann

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  1. The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Mevo Hadas 20, 1132, 90435, Efrat, Israel

    Joseph Seckbach Ph.D

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Altermann, W. (2007). The Early Earth's Record of Supposed Extremophilic Bacteria and Cyanobacteria, at 3.8 to 2.5 GA. In: Seckbach, J. (eds) Algae and Cyanobacteria in Extreme Environments. Cellular Origin, Life in Extreme Habitats and Astrobiology, vol 11. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4020-6112-7_41

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