Oldest living microbes found in 2-billion-year-old rock

A new study has uncovered the world's oldest microbes. Found in 2-billion-year-old rock, the microbes could shed light on the history of not only Earth, but also Mars.

Deep within the Earth, special conditions can form that allow microbes to survive for long periods. These organisms can sustain their lives for millions of years. A new study was conducted in the Bushveld Igneous Complex in South Africa, where samples nearly 1.9 billion years older than previously identified microbes were discovered.

A FAVORABLE ENVIRONMENT FOR MICROBES

The Bushveld Igneous Complex is a region formed approximately 2 billion years ago by the slow cooling of magma.

While this region, which is the size of Ireland, is home to some of the world's richest mineral reserves, it is also known that approximately 70 percent of global platinum is extracted from here.

Experts emphasized that the fact that the region has remained largely unchanged historically has provided a suitable environment for very ancient microbes to survive.

CONFIRMED TO BE ALIVE

The research team discovered the microbes 15 meters underground, inside a 30-centimeter-long, 2-billion-year-old rock.

The team used various imaging techniques to determine that the microbes had lived in the rock for many years and had not been introduced to the surface during drilling. By examining their protein content, the team confirmed that the organisms were alive.

1.9 BILLION YEARS OLDER

Yohey Suzuki from the University of Tokyo stated that the results of the research were extremely exciting, saying, "We did not know if 2-billion-year-old rocks could support life. This is one of the oldest living microorganisms ever discovered."

Previous research had shown that the oldest microbes were found in 100-million-year-old sediments beneath the ocean floor.

Researchers hope to gain more comprehensive information about the origins of life on Earth by examining these findings in greater depth.

Suzuki said, "Finding microbial life in 2-billion-year-old samples from Earth is a great source of excitement for what we might find in samples from Mars."