Evolution Stuck as Slime for Billion Years Before Progressing Further

After the first life developed in the ancient oceans as slime, around 3.6 billion years ago, it remained as it was for a billion years before evolving further. A new research has revealed ancient conditions that almost ended life on Earth. The Tasmanian researchers, who used a new technique they developed to hunt for mineral deposits, found that first life developed in the ancient oceans around 3.6 billion years ago and remained just a little more than a layer of slime for a billion years.

According to University of Tasmania geologist Professor Ross Large, the slowdown in evolution was tightly linked to low levels of oxygen and biologically-important elements in the oceans.

Source:The research will be published in the March issue of the journal Earth and Planetary Science Letters.