WTF: Though they look like boring rocks, stromatolites are 3,000 year old biological structures form

WTF: Though they look like boring rocks, stromatolites are 3,000 year old biological structures formed in shallow water by microorganisms called cyanobacteria. AND GET THIS: Their formation is based on the coordinated efforts of billions of single-celled organisms working in unison to bind fine grain sediments together with the bacteria’s flagella. By working together the cynobacteria are able to secure a shelter to protect the community from harmful UV radiation. PRETTY COOL, RIGHT? NOW CHECK THIS OUT: When the stromatolites were discovered by scientists in 1956, they were the first ever recorded living examples of structures previously found only as fossils in ancient rocks. Although today’s stromatolites are only around 2,000 – 3,000 years old, the cyanobacteria that build them are similar to life forms found on Earth up to 3.5 billion years ago! This means the stromatolites are modern-day examples of life in Precambrian times.  Back then, the Earth’s atmosphere contained only 1% oxygen. The cyanobacteria dominated the primordial seas, forming extensive stromatolite reefs and releasing increasing amounts of oxygen into the atmosphere. Thus, modern stromatolites help explain the role of microbes in the evolution of the Earth’s biosphere. They have also helped scientists develop an ecological viewpoint that the survival of life depends on interaction rather than competition. YES, STROMATOLITES ARE TOTALLY AWESOME! -- source link

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