Early Archaean Ecology - Exploring the Evidence and Habitats for Early (3.6-3.85 billion year old) Life [ 2003-01-01 - 2005-12-31 ]

Research Grant

Researchers: Allen Nutman (Chief Investigator) ,  Vickie Bennett (Chief Investigator) ,  Dr Clark Friend (Partner Investigator) ,  The Australian National University (Managed by)

Brief description Early Archaean Ecology - Exploring the Evidence and Habitats for Early (3.6-3.85 billion year old) Life. The prime scientific quest of the 21st century will be the origin of life. The earliest evidence for life is at 3.85 Ga (billion-years) in the world's oldest-known sediments from Akilia, Greenland. These rocks were contorted and heated during later crustal upheavals, and the evidence for life at 3.85 Ga is controversial. Such life would be highly significant, because then first, primitive life arose before the known stratigraphic record. The project will extend the methods used to detect earliest life, and use Greenland rocks to explore other possible early habitats (submarine volcanic rocks and hot springs) and understand its environment.

Funding Amount $162,000

Funding Scheme Discovery Projects

View this grant in the ARC Data Portal