Primitive life may have needed a smashing
21 April 2006
by Carina Lee
The existence of the earliest and most primitive form of bacterial organisms may be linked with an asteroid and comet collision billions of years ago into the Earth’s ancient oceans, according to research scientists at the Australian National University (ANU). Dr Andrew Glikson and Mr John Vickers, from the Department of Earth and Marine Sciences, have discovered that asteroid and comet impact marks are similar to the iron-band formation of the ancient iron-rich sediments. These bands of iron sediment are thought to have formed from precipitated bacterial activity. Primitive bacteria lived in harsh chemical condition and survived by utilising iron compounds for energy. These iron-bands and the occurrence of asteroid and comet markings have almost coincided, as Glikson explains “In the majority of cases, the ejected materials left behind from the impact of the asteroids and comets are directly overlain by iron-rich sediments, suggesting a possible cause and effect link between the large impacts, iron-rich volcanic activity and microbial oxidation of iron.” Asteroid and comet markings are being further investigated by scientists to test the significance of this suggestion. |
|
Related Links
Original press release from ANU
Nature
& Science News
ClearlyExplained.com