Earliest life Earth's oldest fossils have been found in Australia and researchers say their microscopic discovery is convincing evidence that cells and bacteria were able to thrive in an oxygen-free world more than 3.4 billion years ago.
The finding suggests early life was sulphur-based, living off and metabolising sulphur rather than oxygen for energy, and supports the idea that similar life forms could exist on other planets where oxygen levels are low or non-existent.
Could these sorts of things exist on Mars? It's just about conceivable. This evidence is certainly encouraging and lack of oxygen on Mars is not a problem.
The microfossils, which the researchers say are very clearly preserved and show precise cell-like structures, were found in a remote part of Western Australia called Strelley Pool.
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