Nature World Today

Nature's Best Site

Bright Pink Is the Oldest Biological Color on Earth

by 50 Comments

Bright pink was the first color on Earth, according to a new study published in The Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.  This new discovery comes from scientists at Australian National University, who made the finding by crushing 1 billion-year-old rock uncovered in a marine shale deposit beneath the Sahara desert. From there, researchers took the powder and used it to analyze the molecules of ancient microscopic organisms that existed long before multi-celled animals walked the Earth.

The bright pink pigments — which were over 500 million years older than any other previous color discoveries — came from chlorophyll produced by ancient photosynthetic organisms that once inhabited ancient oceans.

Researchers first came into contact with the rocks after an oil company unearthed them during a dig roughly 10 years ago. Though the team expected to find something of interest, they did not think it would come in the form of a bright pink shade.

Editorial content

This finding is exciting, not just from a biological standpoint, but because it helps shed light on why large, complex creatures appeared so late in the Earth’s history. Our planet is roughly 4.6 billion years old, but larger, more complex animal-like organisms did not come around until about 600 million years ago.

This new study shows that tiny cyanobacteria generated the pink molecules, suggesting they dominated the Earth at that time. That then suggests larger animals did not exist early in Earth’s history because there was simply no food source for them at the time.  That gives new insight into the planet’s evolution and paints a better picture of why certain animals appear in the fossil record when they do.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. 615860 401840Ive applied the valuable points from this page and I can surely tell that it gives a great deal of assistance with my present jobs. I would be extremely pleased to keep finding back in this internet page. Thank you. 719828

  2. 814560 679828I want to thank you for the excellent post!! I definitely liked every bit of it. Ive bookmarked your web internet site so I can take a look at the latest articles you post later on. 611847

  3. 420934 211636Currently it seems like BlogEngine will be the very best blogging platform out there proper now. (from what Ive read) Is that what you are making use of on your blog? 929281

  6. 917100 296087Normally I try and get my mix of Vitamin E from pills. Whilst Id genuinely like to through a great meal strategy it can be rather hard to at times. 635137

  8. 202094 361576Properly, that is great, yet consider further options weve got here? Could you mind submitting an additional article relating to them also? Many thanks! 368125

  9. 456720 37288For anybody who is interested in enviromentally friendly items, might possibly surprise for you the crooks to keep in mind that and earn under a holder simply because kind dissolved acquire various liters to important oil to make. daily deal livingsocial discount baltimore washington 503300

  11. 506615 687463Thank her so a lot! This line is move before dovetail crazy, altarpiece rather act like habitual the economizing – what entrepreneur groovy night until deal with starting a trade. 876369

  16. 632716 588498I discovered your weblog site on google and examine several of your early posts. Continue to maintain up the superb operate. I basically extra up your RSS feed to my MSN News Reader. In search of forward to reading more from you later on! 95985

  17. 77053 912741this is quite intriguing. thanks for that. we need a lot more websites like this. i commend you on your wonderful content material and outstanding topic choices. 506878

  18. 195980 221133Hey mate, .This was an superb post for such a hard topic to talk about. I appear forward to seeing several much more excellent posts like this 1. Thanks 232916

  20. 990988 242835I see your point, and I totally appreciate your write-up. For what its worth I will tell all my pals about it, quite resourceful. Later. 446450

  21. 649855 733560Naturally I like your web-site, even so you need to have to check the spelling on several of your posts. Numerous of them are rife with spelling difficulties and I find it quite silly to inform you. On the other hand I will surely come once again once more! 951821

  22. 452111 878370Whilst youre any with the lucky enough choices, it comes evidently, even though capture the fancy of the specific coveted by ly folks other helpful you you meet might possibly effectively have hard times this particular difficulty. pre owned awnings 838440

  23. 547168 970315I will correct away grasp your rss as I can not in locating your e-mail subscription hyperlink or e-newsletter service. Do youve any? Kindly permit me realize so that I could subscribe. Thanks. 106647

  24. 837048 623408Greetings! Quick question thats completely off subject. Do you know how to make your site mobile friendly? My internet site looks weird when browsing from my apple iphone. Im trying to locate a template or plugin that may be able to correct this issue. In the event you have any suggestions, please share. With thanks! 571017

  25. 181572 119407I recognize theres lots of spam on this internet site. Do you need to have help cleansing them up? I may assist among courses! 541273

  34. 747864 784298Oh my goodness! an wonderful article dude. Thank you Even so My business is experiencing problem with ur rss . Dont know why Unable to subscribe to it. Can there be anyone obtaining identical rss difficulty? Anybody who knows kindly respond. Thnkx 12948

  36. 185567 328302Right after I initially commented I clicked the -Notify me when new feedback are added- checkbox and now each time a remark is added I get four emails with the same comment. Is there any method you will be able to take away me from that service? Thanks! 699570

  40. 834842 276447Aw, this was a actually nice post. In thought I would like to location in writing in this way moreover – taking time and actual effort to create a quite great article but what / issues I say I procrastinate alot and also no indicates apparently get something done. 330569

  41. 157561 878403Jeden Tag stellt man sich die Frage Was Koche Ich Heute?! Zerbrechen Sie sich nicht den Kopf, besuchen Sie uns am besten direkt auf unserer Webseite uns lassen Sie sich inspirieren 244154

  44. 537880 967754Oh my goodness! a fantastic post dude. Numerous thanks Nonetheless We are experiencing issue with ur rss . Dont know why Can not sign up to it. Could there be anybody finding identical rss difficulty? Anyone who knows kindly respond. Thnkx 249507

  45. I’ve been searching for hours on this topic and finally found your post. totosite, I have read your post and I am very impressed. We prefer your opinion and will visit this site frequently to refer to your opinion. When would you like to visit my site?

  46. 919536 568845So may be the green tea i buy in cans the same as the regular tea youd buy to put inside your morning cup? Ive been told is just normal green tea produced to be cooler, but does it have any affect as far as not speeding up your metabolism as fast as normal hot green tea? 749334

  48. 493518 328711This style is spectacular! You obviously know how to maintain a reader amused. Between your wit and your videos, I was almost moved to start my own weblog (effectively, almostHaHa!) Great job. I really enjoyed what you had to say, and more than that, how you presented it. Too cool! 181178

  49. I was looking for another article by chance and found your article slotsite I am writing on this topic, so I think it will help a lot. I leave my blog address below. Please visit once.

  50. I’ve been looking for photos and articles on this topic over the past few days due to a school assignment, baccarat online and I’m really happy to find a post with the material I was looking for! I bookmark and will come often! Thanks 😀

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.