Ancient Bacteria Pioneered Land Colonization 407 Million Years Ago
Langiella scourfieldii, an ancient species of cyanobacteria, has been discovered in fossil samples and is believed to be among the first organisms to colonize land over 407 million years ago. This finding sheds light on how early bacteria made the transition from water to land. The 3D reconstructions of the fossils revealed evidence of branching, a characteristic of Hapalosiphonacean cyanobacteria, making L. scourfieldii the oldest known cyanobacteria species to have lived on land. Cyanobacteria played a crucial role in shaping Earth's history by producing oxygen through photosynthesis, leading to the Great Oxygenation Event and the first mass extinction. The discovery of L. scourfieldii in the Rhynie Chert fossil site in Scotland provides insights into the early terrestrial ecosystems and the interactions between different species at that time.