Organo-mineral associations in chert of the 3.5 Ga Mount Ada Basalt raise questions about the origin of organic matter in Paleoarchean hydrothermally influenced sediments

• Published in: Scientific reports Vol. 9; no. 1; pp. 16712 - 13
• Main Authors: Alleon, Julien, Flannery, David T., Ferralis, Nicola, Williford, Kenneth H., Zhang, Yong, Schuessler, Jan A., Summons, Roger E.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London Nature Publishing Group UK 13.11.2019; Nature Publishing Group
• Subjects: 140/133; 704/2151/414; 704/47/4113; Basalt; Carbon; Chemical elements; Chert; Geology; Humanities and Social Sciences; Metamorphism; Microorganisms; Morphology; multidisciplinary; Organic matter; Physical characteristics; Science; Science (multidisciplinary); Sediments

Hydrothermal and metamorphic processes could have abiotically produced organo-mineral associations displaying morphological and isotopic characteristics similar to those of fossilized microorganisms in ancient rocks, thereby leaving false-positive evidence for early life in the geological record. Re...