AI just found the oldest chemical signs of life—ever—in ancient rocks

Technology Nov 28, 2025

Scientists used AI to spot the oldest chemical evidence of life in 3.3 billion-year-old rocks from South Africa.
By analyzing hundreds of samples with a machine learning model, they could tell biological from non-biological material with over 90% accuracy—way better than traditional methods.

Why does this matter?

This new approach nearly doubles how far back we can trace life on Earth, even finding hints of early photosynthesis 800 million years earlier than we thought.
It also means we might be able to use similar tech to hunt for signs of life on Mars or other planets—opening up a whole new era for exploring our origins.