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http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/lava_life_040422.html
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Using a method never applied to rock from ancient Earth, researchers have found possible signs of biological activity dating back nearly 3.5 billion years, earlier than any other agreed-upon discovery of life on this planet.
The primordial life appears to have eaten rocks to survive.
Meanwhile, separate work is turning up intriguing similar structures in Mars rocks found on Earth, though no claims of life have yet been made with regard to this ongoing Martian investigation.
If the terrestrial finding is confirmed, it means life was thriving not long after this world had been presumably sterilized several times over by asteroid and comet impacts that were common in the earliest era of the solar system, which is about 4.6 billion years old. [continued]
The primordial life appears to have eaten rocks to survive.
Scientists have discovered microfossils in rocks from Quebec, Canada that are estimated to be 4.28 billion years old. These microfossils are believed to be remnants of ancient bacteria and provide the strongest evidence to date for the oldest life on Earth.
The microfossils were formed through a process called biomineralization, where minerals form around the remains of living organisms. This process helps preserve the structure of the microorganisms and allows scientists to study them even after billions of years.
This discovery supports the theory that life on Earth originated from simple microorganisms, rather than more complex organisms. It also suggests that life may have emerged on Earth much earlier than previously thought.
Scientists used a combination of techniques, including radiometric dating and chemical analysis, to determine the age of the rocks and the microfossils within them. This allowed them to confirm that the microfossils were indeed 4.28 billion years old.
The discovery of the oldest life on Earth gives scientists hope that they may also find evidence of ancient life on other planets. It also provides insights into the conditions that may have been necessary for life to emerge, which could inform the search for habitable planets in other parts of the universe.