論文

査読有り 国際誌
2017年9月27日

Early trace of life from 3.95 Ga sedimentary rocks in Labrador, Canada.

Nature
  • Takayuki Tashiro
  • ,
  • Akizumi Ishida
  • ,
  • Masako Hori
  • ,
  • Motoko Igisu
  • ,
  • Mizuho Koike
  • ,
  • Pauline Méjean
  • ,
  • Naoto Takahata
  • ,
  • Yuji Sano
  • ,
  • Tsuyoshi Komiya

549
7673
開始ページ
516
終了ページ
518
記述言語
英語
掲載種別
研究論文(学術雑誌)
DOI
10.1038/nature24019
出版者・発行元
NATURE PUBLISHING GROUP

The vestiges of life in Eoarchean rocks have the potential to elucidate the origin of life. However, gathering evidence from many terrains is not always possible, and biogenic graphite has thus far been found only in the 3.7-3.8 Ga (gigayears ago) Isua supracrustal belt. Here we present the total organic carbon contents and carbon isotope values of graphite (δ13Corg) and carbonate (δ13Ccarb) in the oldest metasedimentary rocks from northern Labrador. Some pelitic rocks have low δ13Corg values of -28.2, comparable to the lowest value in younger rocks. The consistency between crystallization temperatures of the graphite and metamorphic temperature of the host rocks establishes that the graphite does not originate from later contamination. A clear correlation between the δ13Corg values and metamorphic grade indicates that variations in the δ13Corg values are due to metamorphism, and that the pre-metamorphic value was lower than the minimum value. We concluded that the large fractionation between the δ13Ccarb and δ13Corg values, up to 25‰, indicates the oldest evidence of organisms greater than 3.95 Ga. The discovery of the biogenic graphite enables geochemical study of the biogenic materials themselves, and will provide insight into early life not only on Earth but also on other planets.

リンク情報
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1038/nature24019
PubMed
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28959955
Web of Science
https://gateway.webofknowledge.com/gateway/Gateway.cgi?GWVersion=2&SrcAuth=JSTA_CEL&SrcApp=J_Gate_JST&DestLinkType=FullRecord&KeyUT=WOS:000411930000049&DestApp=WOS_CPL
Scopus
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?partnerID=HzOxMe3b&scp=85031853963&origin=inward
Scopus Citedby
https://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.uri?partnerID=HzOxMe3b&scp=85031853963&origin=inward
ID情報
  • DOI : 10.1038/nature24019
  • ISSN : 0028-0836
  • eISSN : 1476-4687
  • PubMed ID : 28959955
  • SCOPUS ID : 85031853963
  • Web of Science ID : WOS:000411930000049

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