Ridges in the ancient Dresser Formation in the Pilbara Craton of Western Australia that preserve ancient stromatolites and hot spring deposits. Credit: Kathleen Campbell
Spherical bubbles preserved in 3.48 billion year old rocks in the Dresser Formation in the Pilbara Craton in Western Australia provide evidence for early life having lived in ancient hot springs on land. Credit: UNSW
Oldest evidence of life on land found in 3.48-billion-year-old Australian rocks
May 9, 2017
The Australian Centre for Astrobiology, ACA, founded by Professor Malcolm Walter in 2001, is based at UNSW Sydney. It is the only centre of astrobiological research in Australia and is an Associate Member of the NASA Astrobiology Institute.
Astrobiology is a relatively new field of study, developing at the crossroads of astronomy, biology, geology, paleontology, physics and chemistry. The ACA is one of the few organisations in the world that is truly inter- and multi-disciplinary in a way that reflects the goals and aspirations of astrobiology as a scientific discipline. Its key goals include contributing to the understanding of what makes a habitable planet, studying the origin and co-evolution of life and habitats on early Earth, and helping to guide the exploration for life outside of our world.
