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Science 17 July 1964:
Vol. 145. no. 3629, pp. 262 - 263
DOI: 10.1126/science.145.3629.262
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Articles

Biological Remnants in a Precambrian Sediment

W. G. Meinschein 1, E. S. Barghoorn 2, and J. W. Schopf 2

1 Esso Research and Engineering Company, Linden, New Jersey
2 Department of Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts

A billion-year-old shale from the Nonesuch formation at White Pine Mine, Michigan, contains microfossils, porphyrins, and optically active alkanes. Pristane and phytane, which are isoprenoid hydrocarbons found in living plants and animals, are constituents of the ancient alkanes in the Nonesuch shale; the presence of porphyrins in this Precambrian sediment suggests that photosynthetic organisms have existed for more than a billion years.


THIS ARTICLE HAS BEEN CITED BY OTHER ARTICLES:
Water Washing of Proterozoic Oil in the Midcontinent Rift System.
(2002)
AAPG Bulletin 86, 1113-1127
Search for Alkanes of 15 to 30 Carbon Atom Length.
W. G. Meinschein, W. G. Meinschein, E. Cordes, and V. J. Shiner Jr. (1970)
Science 167, 753-754
   Abstract »    PDF »
Alga-Like Fossils from the Early Precambrian of South Africa.
J. W. Schopf, J. W. Schopf, and E. S. Barghoorn (1967)
Science 156, 508-512
   Abstract »    PDF »
Microorganisms Three Billion Years Old from the Precambrian of South Africa.
E. S. Barghoorn, E. S. Barghoorn, and J. W. Schopf (1966)
Science 152, 758-763
   Abstract »    PDF »
Isoprenoid Hydrocarbons in Recent Sediments: Presence of Pristane and Probable Absence of Phytane.
M. Blumer, M. Blumer, and W. D. Snyder (1965)
Science 150, 1588-1589
   Abstract »    PDF »
Soudan Formation: Organic Extracts of Early Precambrian Rocks.
W. G. Meinschein and W. G. Meinschein (1965)
Science 150, 601-605
   Abstract »    PDF »
Microorganisms from the Late Precambrian of Central Australia.
E. S. Barghoorn and J. W. Schopf (1965)
Science 150, 337-339
   Abstract »    PDF »
Electron Microscopy of Fossil Bacteria Two Billion Years Old.
J. W. Schopf, J. W. Schopf, E. S. Barghoorn, M. D. Maser, and R. O. Gordon (1965)
Science 149, 1365-1367
   Abstract »    PDF »
Organic Pigments: Their Long-Term Fate.
M. Blumer and M. Blumer (1965)
Science 149, 722-726
   PDF »
Paleobiology of a Precambrian Shale: Geology, organic geochemistry, and paleontology are applied to the problem of detection of ancient life.
E. S. Barghoorn, E. S. Barghoorn, W. G. Meinschein, and J. W. Schopf (1965)
Science 148, 461-472
   Abstract »    PDF »
Hydrocarbons of Biological Origin in Sediments about Two Billion Years Old.
J. Oro, J. Oro, D. W. Nooner, A. Zlatkis, S. A. Wikstrom, and E. S. Barghoorn (1965)
Science 148, 77-79
   Abstract »    PDF »


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