📷 Image: Wikimedia Commons / wittVikki from ranchi, India
Science
3.5‑billion‑year‑old microbial fossils unearthed in Jharkhand, scientists say
✍️ ETV Bharat
🗓 28 Aug 2026, 02:18 AM
👁 4
Researchers have identified fossil evidence of microbial life dating back 3.5 billion years in a Jharkhand rock formation, marking a significant find for early Earth studies.
A team of geologists and microbiologists announced the discovery of fossilized microbial structures that are estimated to be 3.5 billion years old in a sedimentary rock outcrop in Jharkhand. The specimens were recovered during a systematic survey of Precambrian formations in the state.
Laboratory analysis using scanning electron microscopy and isotopic testing indicated the presence of filamentous and coccoid morphologies consistent with ancient microbial colonies. The age determination was corroborated by radiometric dating of the surrounding matrix, placing the rocks in the Archean eon.
The find pushes back the known record of life on Earth and provides a rare window into the planet’s earliest biosphere. Scientists say the discovery could help refine models of early atmospheric conditions and the emergence of metabolic pathways.
Further studies are planned to extract genetic biomarkers, if any, and to compare the Jharkhand fossils with similar-aged specimens from other continents. The research team intends to publish detailed results in a peer‑reviewed journal later this year.
Laboratory analysis using scanning electron microscopy and isotopic testing indicated the presence of filamentous and coccoid morphologies consistent with ancient microbial colonies. The age determination was corroborated by radiometric dating of the surrounding matrix, placing the rocks in the Archean eon.
The find pushes back the known record of life on Earth and provides a rare window into the planet’s earliest biosphere. Scientists say the discovery could help refine models of early atmospheric conditions and the emergence of metabolic pathways.
Further studies are planned to extract genetic biomarkers, if any, and to compare the Jharkhand fossils with similar-aged specimens from other continents. The research team intends to publish detailed results in a peer‑reviewed journal later this year.