Scientists find oldest direct evidence of life in Singhbhum rock
Scientists just found signs of ancient microbes in a 3.5-billion-year-old rock from the Singhbhum Craton in eastern India, making it the oldest direct evidence of life on Earth so far.
The study shows that tiny organisms were already around a little over a billion years (1.04 billion years) after our planet formed, which is much earlier than many thought.
Bhitardari chert dated, biogenic carbon confirmed
Researchers analyzed a banded chert rock from Bhitardari, using zircon crystals to date it and special tests to confirm the carbon inside came from living things, not random chemistry.
This discovery doesn't just rewrite timelines: it also spotlights Singhbhum Craton as an ancient, stable block of continental crust in eastern India, giving us new clues about how early life and geology shaped our world.