Abstract
Recent reports1–4 have described “yeast-like microfossils” (Isuasphaera isua Pflug2) in 3,800-Myr old5 metaquartzites from the Isua supracrustal belt of south-west Greenland. A biogenic interpretation of these objects is inconsistent with the tectonic history of the Isua region6–8, with the petrology of the metaquartzites, and with the morphology of the microstructures themselves. The putative microfossils are indistinguishable from limonite-stained fluid inclusions: microstructures which are demonstrably inorganic and post-depositional in origin. As such, we contend here that these objects should not be regarded as evidence of early Archaean life forms.
This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution
Access options
Subscribe to this journal
Receive 51 print issues and online access
$199.00 per year
only $3.90 per issue
Buy this article
- Purchase on Springer Link
- Instant access to full article PDF
Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Pflug, H. D. Naturwissenschaften 65, 611–615 (1978).
Pflug, H. D. Oberhess. Naturw. Z. 44, 131–145 (1978).
Pflug, H. D. & Jaeschke-Boyer, H. Nature 280, 483–486 (1979).
Pflug, H. D., Jaeschke-Boyer, H. & Sattler, E. L. Microsc. Acta. 82, 255–266 (1979).
Moorbath, S., O'Nions, R. K. & Pankhurst, R. J. Nature 245, 138–139 (1973).
Bridgwater, D., Keto, L., McGregor, V. R. & Myers, J. S. in Geology. of. Greenland (eds Escher, A. & Watt, W. S.) 18–75 (Geological Survey of Greenland, 1976).
Allaart, J. H. in The Early History of the Earth (ed. Windley, B. F.) 177–189 (Wiley, New York, 1976).
Bridgwater, D. et al. Rapp. Grøland. geol. Unders. 95, 66–71 (1979).
Walter, M. R., Buick, R. & Dunlop, J. S. R. Nature 284, 443–445 (1980).
Lowe, D. Nature 284, 441–443 (1980).
Schopf, J. W. & Barghoorn, E. S. Science 156, 508–512 (1967).
Muir, M. D. & Grant, P. R. in The Early History of the Earth (ed. Windley, B. F.) 595–604 (Wiley, New York, 1976).
Knoll, A. H. & Barghoorn, E. S. Science 198, 396–398 (1977).
Gill, R. C. O., Bridgwater, D. & Allaart, J. H. Spec. Publ. geol. Soc. Aust. (in the press).
Apple, P. W. U. Precamb. Res. 11, 83 (1980).
Boak, J. L. & Dymek, R. F. Geol. Soc. Am. Abstr. (in the press).
Perry, E. C., Ahmad, S. N. & Swulius, T. M. J. Geol. 86, 223–239 (1978).
Deicha, G. Les Lacunes des Cristaux et leurs Inclusions Fluides Signification dans la Genèse des Gîtes Minéraux et. des. Roches. (Masson et Cie, Paris, 1955).
Schopf, J. W. Origins of Life 7, 19–36 (1976).
Wilkins, R. W. T. & Barkas, J. P. Contr. Miner. Petrol. 65, 293–299 (1978).
Roedder, E. Fluid Inclusion Res. Proc. Coffi, 4 (1968).
Schopf, J. W. A. Rev. Earth. planet. Sci. 3, 213–249 (1975).
Nagy, B., Zumberge, J. E. & Nagy, L. A. Proc. natn. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 72, 1206–1209 (1975).
Schidlowski, M., Appel, P. W. U., Eichmann, R. & Junge, C. E. Geochim. cosmochim. Acta. 43, 189–199 (1979).
Pankhurst, R. J., Moorbath, S., Rex, D. C. & Turner, G. Earth planet Sci. Lett. 20, 157–170 (1973).
Kalsbeek, F., Bridgwater, D. & Boak, J. Rapp. Grønlands. geol. Unders. 100, 73–75 (1980).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Bridgwater, D., Allaart, J., Schopf, J. et al. Microfossil-like objects from the Archaean of Greenland: a cautionary note. Nature 289, 51–53 (1981). https://doi.org/10.1038/289051a0
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/289051a0
This article is cited by
-
Challenges in evidencing the earliest traces of life
Nature (2019)
Comments
By submitting a comment you agree to abide by our Terms and Community Guidelines. If you find something abusive or that does not comply with our terms or guidelines please flag it as inappropriate.