Fossilized algae helped restore a previously unknown period of evolution

Geobiology graduate student Katie Maloney ventured into the mountains of Canada's Yukon region, where she set out to find

microscopic fossils of early life. Even with detailed field plans, the chances of finding the desired fossils were slim. However, she was lucky and found more than she bargained for. 

Eukaryotic life, which has DNA in its nuclei, evolved over two billion years ago, with photosynthetic algae dominating at the time.

Geobiologists believe that algae evolved first in freshwater environments on land and then moved to the oceans. But the timing of this evolutionary transition was unknown. 

Fossils of several species found by Maloneyalgae lived on the seabed about 950 million years ago. The authors of the work studied them and partially filled in the evolutionary transition between algae and more complex life. 

Maloney et al used microscopy andgeochemical methods to confirm that the fossils were indeed early eukaryotes. They then detailed the cellular features of the samples to identify the species.  

Read more

Physicists have created an analogue of a black hole and confirmed Hawking's theory. Where it leads?

Scientists have discovered the mythical particle of Odderon

The most mysterious natural phenomenon. Where does ball lightning come from and how is it dangerous?