Google Earth Community: Oldest living organism discovered

Siliceous speleothem specimens, like never seen before have been found at the top of mount Chimanta a Precambrian sandstone mountain from the geological Roraima Group, inside “Charles Brewer Cave” the world’s largest sandstone cave discovered in 2004. So far the preliminary studies show that these specimens have a microbial origin, and that is why they have been named “Biospeleothems”, a term wedged by Dr. Charles Brewer Carias to difference them from the stalactite and stalagmite deposits formed by water inside regular caves

Axial tomography image of the “Bioespeleothem” called “El Helado” (The ice cream), showing fractal growing patterns.

According to the dating results, based on Finite Uranium-thorium these rare living organisms have 322,000 years old, and shows rings patterns of growing like trees. They where found deep into the cave, in complete darkness and despite their variable shape their principal structure and origin are similar.

Slabs of “doll” (A) “champignon” (B) and “Kidney” bioespeleothems (C) Show two principal zones which form the speleothems- compact dark central stromatolite (s) and an outer, pale peloidal zone (p). Grow patterns can be seeing. Next picture shows where samples for Uranium-thorium were taken.

The “Biospeleothems” consist of laminated stromatolites; its structure is mostly formed by filamentous microbes that may be either heterophonic bacteria or cianobacteria that are adapted to a heterotrophic mode of life. The colony found inside de cave represents the largest known cryptic stromatolites and the largest siliceous stromatolites originating in non-aquatic environment to the present.

SEM Images of the etched central stromatolite (A transverse cross-section through a branch of the black Coral (low magnification) mostly formed by concentric opal laminae. The etched surface reveals leaf-like structures (arrows), resembling artifacts protruding directly from the speleothem. Most probably, they represent organic structures (perhaps remains of plant tissue) tapped in the stromatolite. (B) Pores representing cross-sections of tubular casts after filamentous microbes. (C) Longitudinal cross sections of the encrusted mat of filamentous microbes. (D) The same under larger magnification. On the inner sides of some tubes there are remains of irregular septae (arrow), indicating that the filaments were sectioned. (E) Irregular double-layered cross-sections of tubes likely representing casts after microbes. (F) Detail of previous Figure.

These organisms have also shown that are porous and have a strong capillarity that can force water as high as 10 cm. in this way the water can reach the top of the “Bioespeleothem” where microbes actively live. More than a Dozen forms were distinguished, but as said before they share a common structure and origin. They consist of two main types, a fine laminated columnar stromatolite formed by silicified filamentous microbes and a porous peloidal stromatolite formed by Nostoc-type cyanobacteria. The first type usually forms the central part and the second type the outer part of “Bioespeleothems”.

At the present moment several studies are taken place in different parts of the world in order to know more about these organisms. Some scientist, including people from NASA are speculating that this life form could have an exobiological origin. It would not surprise us! since there is an impact crater not far from were they cave is located. Inside it several fragments of meteorite have been collected. The crater has been eroded but still is +/-10 mts in diameter. The Meteorite fragments have been studied by the “Grupo de Ciencias Atmosfèricas y del Espacio” de la Facultad de ciencias de la Universidad de Merida, en Venezuela and they are magnetic, with a metal composition of 15% nickel and 50% iron. To the present moment still more fragments can be found inside de fossil crater. We believe that a bigger mass could be still lying underground. This crater is also an important “Discovery” since it’s the first impact crater reported in Venezuela and also at the north of South America. Further expeditions to the area are being planed at the moment; since many scientists are interest in collecting they own samples of “Biospeleothems” and “Meteorites”

This sample of meteorite from the Chimantà Crater is 8 cm long , 6 wide and 5 cm height. It weights 400 grams.

See previous post about the cave Discoverie : http://bbs.keyhole.com/ubb/showflat.php?Number=845767

Sources:
R. Aubrecht, Charles Brewer Carias , B Smida, M. Audy , L Kovàcik, Donald Mc Farlane. “Grupo de Ciencias Atmosfèricas y del Espacio” de la Facultad de Ciencias de la Universidad de Merida, Prof. Vicente Marcano. Centro Mèdico Docente La Trinidad.

Pictures : Charles Brewer Carias , B Smida, M. Audy , L Kovàcik, Donald Mc Farlane, Jose Miguel Perez Gomez

Edited by Jose_Miguel_Perez_Gomez (08/18/08 02:47 PM)