A Brief Intro To Stromatolites
Stromatolites are sedimentary structures consisting of
laminated carbonate or silicate rocks, produced over time by
trapping, binding or the precipitating of sediment by microorganisms called
cyanobacteria.
What does this mean?
What this is saying is that, over a long period of time, single celled prokaryotes called cyanobacteria trap sediment and build layer upon layer of sediment until it forms the structure you see above. The cyanobacteria played a major role in the oxygenation of our atmosphere and provided these structures for us to study early life in the Archean.
What does this mean?
What this is saying is that, over a long period of time, single celled prokaryotes called cyanobacteria trap sediment and build layer upon layer of sediment until it forms the structure you see above. The cyanobacteria played a major role in the oxygenation of our atmosphere and provided these structures for us to study early life in the Archean.
Why they are important
These structures have been around since the Archean and can be still be found today (although only in select areas of the world). Before geologists found them we didn't have much to go by as far as fossils go during the Archean. Stromatolites have given us great evidence as to what type of life existed during those days, around what time life began as single celled organisms and helped us explain the oxygenation of our atmosphere. Some may say they are just old rocks, but if we take a closer look we will see that they have a lot to tell us about our Earth's past.
These structures have been around since the Archean and can be still be found today (although only in select areas of the world). Before geologists found them we didn't have much to go by as far as fossils go during the Archean. Stromatolites have given us great evidence as to what type of life existed during those days, around what time life began as single celled organisms and helped us explain the oxygenation of our atmosphere. Some may say they are just old rocks, but if we take a closer look we will see that they have a lot to tell us about our Earth's past.