This bacteria hasn't evolved in 2 billion years


Fossilized sulfur bacteria off Australia's coast has provided some surprising news for scientists: The organism hasn't evolved in more than two billion years.
Researchers from UCLA collected sulfur bacteria samples that were 1.8 billion years old and compared them with samples from other bacteria in the region from 2.3 billion years ago. Both sample sets were identical to modern sulfur bacteria found off Chile's coast. The findings were published this week in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
The scientists were quick to note that the bacteria's lack of evolution doesn't contradict Darwin's theory, though. The sulfur bacteria haven't evolved, but that's because their environments haven't changed, either. The fossils date to the Great Oxidation Event, Live Science notes, when oxygen levels on Earth surged. Deep sea rocks' environments haven't changed since that period, so the bacteria haven't had to change, either.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Meghan DeMaria is a staff writer at TheWeek.com. She has previously worked for USA Today and Marie Claire.
-
Gabbard fires intelligence chiefs after Venezuela report
speed read Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard has fired the top two officials leading the National Intelligence Council
-
Critics' choice: Reimagined Mexican-American fare
Feature A shape-shifting dining experience, an evolving 50-year-old restaurant, and Jalisco-style recipes
-
Here We Are: Stephen Sondheim's 'utterly absorbing' final musical
The Week Recommends The musical theatre legend's last work is 'witty, wry and suddenly wise'
-
Nobody seems surprised Wagner's Prigozhin died under suspicious circumstances
Speed Read
-
Western mountain climbers allegedly left Pakistani porter to die on K2
Speed Read
-
'Circular saw blades' divide controversial Rio Grande buoys installed by Texas governor
Speed Read
-
Los Angeles city workers stage 1-day walkout over labor conditions
Speed Read
-
Mega Millions jackpot climbs to an estimated $1.55 billion
Speed Read
-
Bangladesh dealing with worst dengue fever outbreak on record
Speed Read
-
Glacial outburst flooding in Juneau destroys homes
Speed Read
-
Scotland seeking 'monster hunters' to search for fabled Loch Ness creature
Speed Read