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Ancient Rocks Reveal Life's Oxygen Origins 3.3 Billion Years Ago

11/18/2025

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Summary

Story summary

A study led by the Carnegie Institution for Science found chemical evidence of life in rocks more than 3.3 billion years old, suggesting oxygen-producing photosynthesis began nearly a billion years earlier than previously thought.
Researchers used advanced chemical analysis and machine learning to detect faint biological signatures in ancient rocks.
The AI model achieved over 90% accuracy in distinguishing biological materials.
This method extends the timeline for studying ancient life, which was previously limited to rocks younger than 1.7 billion years.
The findings were published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences and could aid in the search for extraterrestrial life.

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Story summary

A study led by the Carnegie Institution for Science found chemical evidence of life in rocks more than 3.3 billion years old, suggesting oxygen-producing photosynthesis began nearly a billion years earlier than previously thought.
Researchers used advanced chemical analysis and machine learning to detect faint biological signatures in ancient rocks.
The AI model achieved over 90% accuracy in distinguishing biological materials.
This method extends the timeline for studying ancient life, which was previously limited to rocks younger than 1.7 billion years.
The findings were published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences and could aid in the search for extraterrestrial life.