Life on Earth might be way older than we thought

Scientists have long theorized about the origins of life on Earth. But thanks to new research from England's University of Bristol, there are some new clues to factor into the question of how our world came to be.
For a long time, our best bet at figuring out when life developed on our home planet was to analyze fossils, the earliest of which gave us evidence of life as old as 4 billion years ago. But in a study published Monday in the journal Nature Ecology & Evolution, scientists posit that life may be up to hundreds of millions of years older than that.
Researchers took a closer look at the fossils we've already discovered — namely, their DNA, Phys.org reported. They analyzed genetic data until they were able to build a theoretical timeline of when life evolved into those organisms. From there, they traced ancient microbes' lineage to a "Last Universal Common Ancestor" of all life, or "LUCA," said study co-author Davide Pisani. The data found through that DNA is much more reliable than fossil evidence alone in proving evolutionary links, said the study's lead author, Holly Betts.
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.
Around 4.5 billion years ago, Earth was impacted by another planet called Theia, Metro explained. This collision "sterilized" Earth and sent a chunk of space rock hurtling into orbit around us — what we now know as the moon. Per the scientists' findings, it wasn't long after that that the "LUCA" originally lived.
Although that might be the origin of life on Earth, it's worth noting that the branch of the evolutionary tree that led to humans is much, much younger. "We belong to a lineage that is billions of years younger than life itself," Pisani explained. Read more about these new discoveries at Metro.
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
Shivani is the editorial assistant at TheWeek.com and has previously written for StreetEasy and Mic.com. A graduate of the physics and journalism departments at NYU, Shivani currently lives in Brooklyn and spends free time cooking, watching TV, and taking too many selfies.
-
Trade war with China threatens U.S. economy
Feature Trump's tariff battle with China is hitting U.S. businesses hard and raising fears of a global recession
By The Week US
-
Corruption: The road to crony capitalism
Feature Trump's tariff pause sent the stock market soaring — was it insider trading?
By The Week US
-
China Shock 2.0
Feature An overflow of Chinese goods is flooding the global market. Tariffs won’t stop it.
By The Week US
-
Israel blames 'failures' for killing of medics
speed read 14 Gaza medics and 1 U.N. employee were killed by IDF special forces
By Peter Weber, The Week US
-
Why Russia removed the Taliban's terrorist designation
The Explainer Russia had designated the Taliban as a terrorist group over 20 years ago
By Justin Klawans, The Week US
-
China accuses NSA of Winter Games cyberattacks
speed read China alleges that the U.S. National Security Agency launched cyberattacks during the Asian Winter Games in February
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US
-
Russian strike kills dozens in Ukraine
Speed Read The Sumy ballistic missile strike was Russia's deadliest attack on civilians this year
By Peter Weber, The Week US
-
Inside the Israel-Turkey geopolitical dance across Syria
THE EXPLAINER As Syria struggles in the wake of the Assad regime's collapse, its neighbors are carefully coordinating to avoid potential military confrontations
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US
-
South Korea court removes impeached president
Speed Read The Constitutional Court upheld the impeachment of Yoon Suk Yeol after his declaration of martial law in December
By Peter Weber, The Week US
-
Myanmar quake deaths rise as survivor search intensifies
speed read The magnitude-7.7 earthquake in central Myanmar has killed a documented 2,000 people so far, and left scores more trapped beneath rubble
By Peter Weber, The Week US
-
'Like a sound from hell': Serbia and sonic weapons
The Explainer Half a million people sign petition alleging Serbian police used an illegal 'sound cannon' to disrupt anti-government protests
By Abby Wilson