Geological alteration of algal steroids mimics early animal signatures

Nov 23, 2020

Christian Hallmann und Lennart van Maldegem discussing chemical analyses. Photo: Tom Pingel — Christian Hallmann (right) und Lennart van Maldegem discussing chemical analyses. Photo: Tom Pingel

Researchers from MARUM and Max Planck Institute for Biogeochemistry in Jena have resolved a longstanding controversy surrounding the origins of complex life on Earth. In two joint studies they found that ancient steroid molecules extracted from 635-million-year-old rocks aren’t the earliest evidence of animals, but instead derive from common algae.

Dr. Benjamin Nettersheim and Dr. Christian Hallmann from the Max Planck Research Group Organic Palaeobiogeochemistry at the Max Planck Institute for Biogeochemistry in Jena and from MARUM - Center for Marine Environmental Sciences at the University of Bremen are involved in the two studies now published.

Original publications:

Bobrovskiy, I. et al. Algal origin of sponge sterane biomarkers negates the oldest evidence for animals in the rock record. Nature Ecology & Evolution (2020), DOI:10.1038/s41559-020-01334-7

Van Maldegem, L. M., Nettersheim, B.J. et al. Geological alteration of Precambrian steroids mimics early animal signatures. Nature Ecology & Evolution (2020), DOI:10.1038/s41559-020-01336-5

Press release Max Planck Institute for Biogeochemistry