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World's Oldest Microfossil

SCIENTISTS CLAIM TO HAVE DISCOVERED THE REMAINS OF MICROORGANISMS IN CANADA, THAT ARE AT LEAST 3-POINT-77 BILLION YEARS OLD. WE DON’T KNOW ANYONE THAT OLD!
MICROORGANISMS ARE VERY SMALL LIVING THINGS, THAT WERE THE FIRST FORMS OF LIFE TO DEVELOP ON EARTH. IN FACT, SCIENTISTS THINK WE EVOLVED FROM THESE LITTLE GUYS – SO THIS TINY FOSSIL – OR MICROFOSSIL – COULD BE YOUR ANCESTOR!

IF THEY ARE PROVEN TO HAVE BEEN LIVING THINGS, THEY WOULD BE THE OLDEST MICROFOSSILS EVER FOUND.

UNIVERSITY COLLEGE LONDON SAYS THE DISCOVERY IS MADE UP OF TINY FILAMENTS AND TUBES FORMED BY BACTERIA THAT LIVED ON IRON.  THEY WERE FOUND IN QUARTZ LAYERS IN QUEBEC, CANADA, IN A FORMATION THAT CONTAINS SOME OF THE EARTH'S OLDEST KNOWN SEDIMENTARY ROCKS.


Instructional Links


Multimedia Interactive Site: e-learning for Kids, Science, Exploring Fossils and Fossil Records | Learn about paleontology, fossils & tools used.

Video: YouTube, UCLTV, World’s Oldest Fossils Unearthed | Interviews with research scientists.

Interactive Website: University of California Museum of Paleontology, Stories from the Fossil Record | Includes student section on fossils, geology and biodiversity with teacher’s guide.

http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/education/explorations/tours/stories/index.html

Website Article: Kids Dinosaurs, What Is Paleontology? | Explains science and what paleontologists do.