Traces of life discovered in rubies 2.5 billion years ago
Traces of life were discovered in minerals formed long ago, 2.5 billion years ago, when eukaryotes were not born. This is the first time that a trace of life has been found in a ruby, and research has shown that the trace was found in
The corundum conundrum: Constraining the compositions of fluids involved in ruby formation in metamorphic melanges of ultramafic and aluminum rocks --ScienceDirect
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chemgeo.2021.120180
For The First Time Ever, Evidence of Ancient Life Was Discovered Inside a Ruby
Some of the world's oldest rubies linked to early life | Waterloo News | University of Waterloo
https://uwaterloo.ca/news/media/some-worlds-oldest-rubies-linked-early-life
A research team led by Vincent Hinsberg, a geologist at McGill University in Canada, was originally studying the formation process of the oldest minerals in the world. At that time, he discovered a residue of graphite , a mineral composed of carbon, in rubies formed 2.5 billion years ago.
Graphite found in rubies was expected to be some trace of life that has been preserved since ancient times, as rubies can take up impurities during the formation process. However, while graphite can be produced by changing organic matter, it can also be produced from inorganic substances such as minerals, so the research team tried to identify its origin by determining the carbon isotope ratio.
As a result, the research team confirmed that the graphite found in rubies was derived from organic matter, and concluded that the organic matter was cyanobacteria from the age of the mineral. In addition, the fact that graphite exists suggests that there may have been a fluid that removes silicon dioxide that inhibits ore formation, and the discovery of graphite also provided clues to identify the mineral formation process. ..
by Dave Thomas
Chris Yakimchuk, who participated in the study, said, 'This is the first time we have found traces of life in minerals containing rubies. Graphite not only linked rubies to life, but also gave us hints on the formation of rubies. '.
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