"1.75-Billion-Year-Old Fossils Shed Light on the Ancient Origins of Photosynthesis"
Scientists have discovered fossil evidence of photosynthetic cells that pushes the origin of photosynthesis back by over a billion years, to 1.7 billion years ago. The evidence is based on the identification of thylakoid membranes, which are crucial for photosynthesis, in cell-like bodies from ancient sedimentary rocks. This finding, which comes from the McDermott Formation in Australia and the Grassy Bay Formation in Arctic Canada, provides new insights into the evolution of photosynthesis and suggests that the genetic and chemical evidence for the development of this process may be complemented by fossil records.