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Science 28 April 1967:
Vol. 156. no. 3774, pp. 508 - 512
DOI: 10.1126/science.156.3774.508
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Articles

Alga-Like Fossils from the Early Precambrian of South Africa

J. William Schopf 1 and Elso S. Barghoorn 2

1 Department of Biology and Society of Fellows, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138
2 Department of Biology and Botanical Museum, Harvard University

Micropaleontological studies of carbonaceouis chert from the Fig Tree Series of South Africa (> 3.1 x 109 years old) revealed the presence of spheroidal microfossils, here designated Archaeosphaeroides barbertonensis, interpreted as probably representing the remnants of unicellular alga-like organisms. The presumed photosynthetic nature of these primitive microorganisms seems corroborated by organic geochemical and carbon isotopic studies of the Fig Tree organic matter, and is consistent with the geologically and mineralogically indicated Early Precambrian environment. These alga-like spheroids, together with a bacterium-like organism previously described from the Fig Tree chert, are the oldest fossil orgisms now known.


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