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Oldest Evidence of Photosynthesis Discovered in 1.75 Billion-Year-Old Fossilized Cyanobacteria

The discovery extends the fossil record of photosynthetic structures by over a billion years, offering new insights into the evolution of oxygen-producing life forms.

Oldest proof of Earth's photosynthesis dates back 1.75 billion years
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1.75-Billion-Year-Old Fossilized Cells Are Oldest Evidence For Photosynthesis In Cyanobacteria

Overview

  • Scientists have discovered the oldest evidence of photosynthesis, dating back 1.75 billion years, in the form of fossilized cyanobacteria found in Australia.
  • The cyanobacteria fossils contain thylakoid membranes, where photosynthesis takes place, extending the fossil record of such structures by at least 1.2 billion years.
  • Previous indirect evidence suggested that cyanobacteria had thylakoids around this time, but the exact timeline of their evolution was unclear.
  • The discovery could help clarify the history of the Great Oxidation Event, when oxygen levels in the atmosphere rose to allow new forms of life.
  • Researchers also found approximately one billion-year-old photosynthesizers in Canada, which would have been record-setting without the Australian discovery.