500 Million-year-old Stromatolite Fossil
Posted on July 5, 2008 Comments (1)
VMNH scientists confirm discovery of 500 million-year-old fossil
A stromatolite is a mound produced in shallow water by mats of algae that trap mud and sand particles. Another mat grows on the trapped sediment layer and this traps another layer of sediment, growing gradually over time. Stromatolites can grow to heights of a meter or more. They are uncommon today but their fossils are among the earliest evidence for living things. The oldest stromatolites have been dated at 3.46 billion years old.
Related: Giant Duck-Billed Dinosaur Discovered in Mexico – Fossils of Sea Monster
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March 2nd, 2011 @ 12:28 am
The Cambrian explosion of life, about 540-490 million years ago, marked the beginning of complex life on earth…