| Complex life forms may have evolved on the | | | | differences in the result from this test compared |
| earth 400 million years earlier than previously | | | | to earlier research was that the team used the |
| thought, a new study of fossils found in India has | | | | world’s best practices to get the job done |
| suggested. | | | | right.“This was the first independent test done |
| An international team, led by Birger Rasmussen of | | | | in the region. In previous reports material |
| the Curtin University of Technology, conducted | | | | separation may have contaminated by other rock |
| the study in India which it claims opens a whole | | | | samples.“The team that I worked with |
| new window to the beginning of life on our planet. | | | | wanted to avoid prospects of contamination, so |
| “New sampling of the Vindhyan basin in India | | | | we made sure the fossils were separated from |
| has confirmed the presence of fossils older than | | | | the surrounding rocks in labs that we were certain |
| has been previously accepted. These fossils, which | | | | could do the job correctly. |
| are more than 1.6 billion years old, are likely to be | | | | “The age of the fossils was determined using |
| more than a billion years older than what was | | | | lead dating of the phosphorate in the fossils. This |
| previously accepted for fossils found in this region. | | | | is deposited with the organic material that |
| “They are also between 400 and 600 million | | | | becomes fossilised when it is buried in the sea |
| years older than any multi-cellular life found | | | | floor, billions of years ago. This form of testing is |
| anywhere on the planet,” Prof. Rasmussen | | | | generally very accurate when we are looking at a |
| said. | | | | time scale of over a billion years,” Prof. |
| According to the researchers, the reason for the | | | | Rasmussen said. |