Ancient microbes may have used oxygen 500 million years before it filled Earth’s atmosphere

Researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) have uncovered evidence suggesting that ancient microbes may have been utilizing oxygen as far back as 500 million years before it became a significant component of Earth's atmosphere. This groundbreaking study focuses on a crucial enzyme involved in oxygen processing, providing new insights into the timeline of life's adaptation to oxygen on our planet. The discovery challenges previous assumptions about the history of oxygen use by early life forms, suggesting a more complex and nuanced evolutionary pathway. The enzyme in question, which facilitates the use of oxygen in metabolic processes, was traced back by the MIT team using advanced molecular clock techniques. These methods allowed scientists to estimate the age of the enzyme, placing its origins in a time when Earth's atmosphere was still largely devoid of oxygen. This finding implies that early life forms could have developed mechanisms to exploit even trace amounts of oxygen present in their environments, a significant evolutionary advantage that may have contributed to their survival and diversification. This research not only reshapes our understanding of early life on Earth but also has broader implications for the search for life on other planets. By demonstrating that life can adapt to minimal levels of oxygen, it opens up new possibilities for the types of environments that could potentially harbor life beyond our planet. As scientists continue to explore the cosmos, the lessons learned from Earth's ancient microbes could guide the search for extraterrestrial life in similarly low-oxygen settings.

— Authored by Next24 Live