A fascinating discovery has uncovered a new potential resource for understanding life in the Old World.
A team of geologists has found tiny remnants of prokaryotic and algal life trapped within 830 million-year-old rock salt crystals. These micro-remains found in rock salt offer yet another new possibility for the study of ancient, historic saltwater environments that currently lack water, and it is even possible that some of these organisms may have survived.
Moreover, this impressive research opens up an exciting possibility to search for traces of past life on other planets such as Mars, as well as historical life on Earth.
Most of the historical microfossils we’ve seen so far were found pressed into rock formations such as layers of clayey leafstone, and salt doesn’t preserve organic material in the same way. Instead, small amounts of liquid may remain in the crystals formed in the saltwater environment. These residual water particles can give very important scientific data about the environment where the salt crystallizes, such as the temperature of the water, its chemical structure and even atmospheric pressure.
Also, these findings will not only be usable in seas and salt lakes. For example, the central part of Australia is now a desert, but in ancient times it was a salty sea, so salt crystals can be found in abundance.
This research could also have important implications on Mars, where crystals can be found similar to the Browne Formation in Australia. With this research, it has been proven that organisms can be identified without destroying or spoiling the samples, which will help us to better understand both our own history and the history of other planets. In addition, the possibility that these micro-organisms have continued to live for hundreds of years seems important in many respects.
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