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Science 2 July 1976:
Vol. 193. no. 4247, pp. 47 - 49
DOI: 10.1126/science.193.4247.47
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Articles

How Old Are the Eukaryotes?

J. WILLIAM SCHOPF 1 and DOROTHY ZELLER OEHLER 2

1 Department of Geology, University of California, Los Angeles 90024
2 Baas Becking Geobiological Laboratory, Post Office Box 378, Canberra City, A.C.T., Australia 2601

Evidence from Precambrian sediments appears to indicate that nucleated (eukaryotic) organisms had become well established and relatively diverse about 850 ± 100 million years ago and that eukaryotes were probably extant, and may have first appeared, as early as 1400 ± 100 million years ago.

Submitted on April 22, 1976


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