Debate on the antiquity of fungi

2005/02/01 Elhuyar Zientzia Iturria: Elhuyar aldizkaria

• Paleontologia
• Arkeologia

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Microfossils that have been discovered on the rocks of Victoria Island in Canada have sparked debate about the ancient fungi. These fungal microfossils date back to 850 million years, the oldest found to date. But according to the discoverer, Butterfield, a paleontologist at the University of Cambridge, there are also fossils of older fungi, as other fossils about 1.4 billion years ago believe they are equal. Other fossils known as Tappania have been found in China and Australia.

If they prove that microfossils, called tappanias, are the same as the fungi they have discovered, it is shown that 1.4 billion years ago they existed. To resolve the debate, images of greater resolution and rigorous chemical analysis will be made.