1.78-billion-year-old microfossils reveal sunlight-harnessing structures that give off oxygen
Cyanobacteria, like these ocean-dwelling <em>Prochlorococcus</em>, invented photosynthesis billions of years ago. Now, scientists have fossil evidence of the structures needed to turn sunlight into chemical energy in some ancient cyanobacteria.</p>
" data-image-description="" data-image-meta="{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"","orientation":"0"}" data-image-title="010324_ts_photosynthesis_feat" data-large-file="https://i0.wp.com/www.sciencenews.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/010324_ts_photosynthesis_feat.jpg?fit=800%2C450&ssl=1" data-medium-file="https://i0.wp.com/www.sciencenews.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/010324_ts_photosynthesis_feat.jpg?fit=680%2C383&ssl=1" data-orig-file="https://i0.wp.com/www.sciencenews.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/010324_ts_photosynthesis_feat.jpg?fit=1440%2C810&ssl=1" data-orig-size="1440,810" data-permalink="https://www.sciencenews.org/010324_ts_photosynthesis_feat" decoding="async" height="580" sizes="(max-width: 1030px) 100vw, 1030px" src="https://i0.wp.com/www.sciencenews.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/010324_ts_photosynthesis_feat.jpg?fit=1030%2C580&ssl=1" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/www.sciencenews.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/010324_ts_photosynthesis_feat.jpg?w=1440&ssl=1 1440w, https://i0.wp.com/www.sciencenews.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/010324_ts_photosynthesis_feat.jpg?resize=680%2C383&ssl=1 680w, https://i0.wp.com/www.sciencenews.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/010324_ts_photosynthesis_feat.jpg?resize=800%2C450&ssl=1 800w, https://i0.wp.com/www.sciencenews.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/010324_ts_photosynthesis_feat.jpg?resize=330%2C186&ssl=1 330w, https://i0.wp.com/www.sciencenews.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/010324_ts_photosynthesis_feat.jpg?resize=768%2C432&ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/www.sciencenews.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/010324_ts_photosynthesis_feat.jpg?resize=1030%2C580&ssl=1 1030w, https://i0.wp.com/www.sciencenews.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/010324_ts_photosynthesis_feat.jpg?resize=1380%2C776&ssl=1 1380w" width="1030">
Cyanobacteria, like these ocean-dwelling Prochlorococcus, invented photosynthesis billions of years ago. Now, scientists have fossil evidence of the structures needed to turn sunlight into chemical energy in some ancient cyanobacteria.
Luke Thompson/Chisholm Lab, Nikki Watson/Whitehead/MIT
Ancient tiny fossils from Australia may carry evidence of great power: the ability to make oxygen through photosynthesis.
11 months ago
81 
