• Question: what is the oldest fossil that has been discovered?

    Asked by rosieredxxx to Claire, Kate, Matt, Rob, Sam on 25 Jun 2013.
    • Photo: Claire Lee

      Claire Lee answered on 25 Jun 2013:

      Not that exciting, but the oldest fossil we have is of a type of bacteria (it’s called cyanobacteria)! Its 3.5 *billion* years old! And when you think that the earth itself is 4.5 billion years old, that is pretty impressive!

    • Photo: Matthew Pankhurst

      Matthew Pankhurst answered on 25 Jun 2013:

      Super old! However, people argue whether or not some of these things are really fossil or odd shapes where minerals once were. Also, as we go deeper back in time, how sure we are that rocks are exactly the age we think they are gets less. 3.5 *billion* plus or minus a couple of hundred million is about right 🙂 check this out
      http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timeline_of_evolutionary_history_of_life
      for a good overview of what happened when (we think!)

Comments