Unveiling the Origins of Biomineralization: Ediacaran Fossils Shed Light on Earth's Life Expansion
New research on Ediacaran fossils in Namibia reveals the origins of biomineralization, a vital chemical process that led to the expansion of life on Earth. Fossil skeletons of Cloudina, tubular structures made of carbonate cones, were found dating back to 551-550 million years ago. Geochemical analysis of the rocks suggests that Cloudina originated in a low oxygen environment with periods of higher oxygenation. The study supports the idea that skeletonization was driven by the instability of the marine environment and the opportunistic colonization of short-lived periods of respiration during oxygenation.