Metabolically diverse primordial microbial communities in Earth’s oldest seafloor-hydrothermal jasper

Papineau, Dominic; She, Zhenbing; Dodd, Matthew S.; Iacoviello, Francesco; Slack, John F.; Hauri, Erik; Shearing, Paul; Little, Crispin T. S.

doi:10.1126/sciadv.abm2296

Cited by 76Paleontology and Stratigraphy of FossilsOrigins and Evolution of LifeGeochemistry and Elemental Analysis

Metabolically diverse primordial microbial communities in Earth’s oldest seafloor-hydrothermal jasper

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Papineau, Dominic, She, Zhenbing, Dodd, Matthew S., Iacoviello, Francesco, Slack, John F., Hauri, Erik, Shearing, Paul, Little, Crispin T. S.·2022·Science Advances

DOI 10.1126/sciadv.abm2296PMC PMC9007518

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Abstract

The oldest putative fossils occur as hematite filaments and tubes in jasper-carbonate banded iron formations from the 4280- to 3750-Ma Nuvvuagittuq Supracrustal Belt, Québec. If biological in origin, these filaments might have affinities with modern descendants; however, if abiotic, they could indicate complex prebiotic forms on early Earth. Here, we report images of centimeter-size, autochthonous hematite filaments that are pectinate-branching, parallel-aligned, undulated, and containing Fe 2+ -oxides. These microstructures are considered microfossils because of their mineral associations and resemblance to younger microfossils, modern Fe-bacteria from hydrothermal environments, and the experimental products of heated Fe-oxidizing bacteria. Additional clusters of irregular hematite ellipsoids could reflect abiotic processes of silicification, producing similar structures and thus yielding an uncertain origin. Millimeter-sized chalcopyrite grains within the jasper-carbonate rocks have 34 S- and 33 S-enrichments consistent with microbial S-disproportionation and an O 2 -poor atmosphere. Collectively, the observations suggest a diverse microbial ecosystem on the primordial Earth that may be common on other planetary bodies, including Mars.

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Rouillard, J., Garcı́a-Ruiz, J. M., Gong, J., & van Zuilen, M. A. (2018) · Geobiology · doi:10.1111/gbi.12278 · Cited by 67 · see citing works
Atmospheric record in the Hadean Eon from multiple sulfur isotope measurements in Nuvvuagittuq Greenstone Belt (Nunavik, Quebec)
Thomassot, É., OʼNeil, J., Francis, D., Cartigny, P., & Wing, B. A. (2015) · Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences · doi:10.1073/pnas.1419681112 · Cited by 66 · see citing works
Post-depositional REE mobility in a Paleoarchean banded iron formation revealed by La-Ce geochronology: A cautionary tale for signals of ancient oxygenation
Bonnand, P., Lalonde, S. V., Boyet, M., Heubeck, C., Homann, M., Nonnotte, P., Foster, I. S., Konhauser, K. O., & Köhler, I. (2020) · Earth and Planetary Science Letters · doi:10.1016/j.epsl.2020.116452 · Cited by 64 · see citing works
Microbial and hydrothermal aspects of ferric oxyhydroxides and ferrosic hydroxides: the example of Franklin Seamount, Western Woodlark Basin, Papua New Guinea
Boyd, T., & Scott, S. D. (2001) · Geochemical Transactions · doi:10.1186/1467-4866-2-45 · Cited by 62 · see citing works
Isolation and characterization of Rhodopseudomonas palustris P4 which utilizes CO with the production of H2
Jung, G. Y., Jung, H. O., Kim, J. R., et al. (1999) · Biotechnology Letters · doi:10.1023/a:1005560630351 · Cited by 61 · see citing works
The catalytic role of planktonic aerobic heterotrophic bacteria in protodolomite formation: Results from Lake Jibuhulangtu Nuur, Inner Mongolia, China
Liu, D., Yu, N., Papineau, D., Fan, Q., Wang, H., Qiu, X., She, Z., & Luo, G. (2019) · Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta · doi:10.1016/j.gca.2019.07.056 · Cited by 61 · see citing works
Self-citation
Origin of life from apatite dating?
Sano, Y., Terada, K., Takahashi, Y., & Nutman, A. P. (1999) · Nature · doi:10.1038/22032 · Cited by 59 · cited 2× · see citing works
“This observation is relevant for the controversial origin of apatite within the Eoarchean quartz-pyroxene rock from Akilia in Greenland, which has a U-Pb age of 1504 ± 335 Ma ( 56 ), debated as possibly reset by thermal metamorphism ( 57 ).”
Nanometer-Scale Visualization and Structural Analysis of the Inorganic/Organic Hybrid Structure of Gallionella ferruginea Twisted Stalks
Suzuki, T., Hashimoto, H., Matsumoto, N., Furutani, M., Kunoh, H., & Takada, J. (2011) · Applied and Environmental Microbiology · doi:10.1128/aem.02867-10 · Cited by 59 · see citing works
Simultaneous determination of δ 33 S V‐CDT and δ 34 S V‐CDT using masses 48, 49 and 50 on a continuous flow isotope ratio mass spectrometer
Baublys, K. A., Golding, S. D., Young, E., & Kamber, B. S. (2004) · Rapid Communications in Mass Spectrometry · doi:10.1002/rcm.1681 · Cited by 59 · see citing works
Depositional setting of Algoma-type banded iron formation
Gourcerol, B., Thurston, P. C., Kontak, D. J., Côté-Mantha, O., & Biczok, J. (2016) · Precambrian Research · doi:10.1016/j.precamres.2016.04.019 · Cited by 58 · see citing works
High-precision analysis of multiple sulfur isotopes using NanoSIMS
Hauri, E. H., Papineau, D., Wang, J., & Hillion, F. (2015) · Chemical Geology · doi:10.1016/j.chemgeo.2015.11.013 · Cited by 56 · cited 1× · see citing works
“These analyses were performed using NanoSIMS 50L located at the Carnegie Institution of Science (Washington, DC, USA), for which the method is described in detail in ( 21 ), hence is only summarized briefly here.”
Self-citation
Fluid-deposited graphite and its geobiological implications in early Archean gneiss from Akilia, Greenland
Lepland, A., van Zuilen, M. A., & Philippot, P. (2010) · Geobiology · doi:10.1111/j.1472-4669.2010.00261.x · Cited by 55 · see citing works
Cambrian microbial and silica gel textures in silica iron exhalites from the Mount Windsor volcanic belt, Australia; their petrography, chemistry, and origin
Duhig, N. C., Stolz, J., Davidson, G. J., et al. (1992) · Economic Geology · doi:10.2113/gsecongeo.87.3.764 · Cited by 54 · see citing works
Surface sediment geochemistry and hydrothermal activity indicators in the Dragon Horn area on the Southwest Indian Ridge
Liao, S., Tao, C., Li, H., Zhang, G., Liang, J. S., Yang, W., & Wang, Y. (2018) · Marine Geology · doi:10.1016/j.margeo.2017.12.005 · Cited by 54 · see citing works
Environmental controls on biomineralization and Fe-mound formation in a low-temperature hydrothermal system at the Jan Mayen Vent Fields
Johannessen, K. C., der Roost, J. V., Dahle, H., Dundas, S., Pedersen, R., & Thorseth, I. (2017) · Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta · doi:10.1016/j.gca.2016.12.016 · Cited by 51 · see citing works
Frutexites from stromatolites of the Gunflint Iron Formation of Canada, and its biological affinities
Walter, M. R., & Awramik, S. M. (1979) · Precambrian Research · doi:10.1016/0301-9268(79)90049-4 · Cited by 45 · see citing works
Chemically-oscillating reactions during the diagenetic oxidation of organic matter and in the formation of granules in late Palaeoproterozoic chert from Lake Superior
Papineau, D., She, Z., & Dodd, M. S. (2017) · Chemical Geology · doi:10.1016/j.chemgeo.2017.08.021 · Cited by 45 · cited 1× · see citing works
“Recent studies have suggested that sedimentological structures with circularly concentric layers and radially aligned crystals form during the abiotic decarboxylation of biomass from diagenetic decomposition ( 26 , 27 , 29 ).”
Self-citation
Discovery of a New Chert-Permineralized Microbiota in the Proterozoic Buxa Formation of the Ranjit Window, Sikkim, Northeast India, and Its Astrobiological Implications
Schopf, J. W., Tewari, V. C., & Kudryavtsev, A. B. (2008) · Astrobiology · doi:10.1089/ast.2007.0184 · Cited by 44 · see citing works
Organic remains in late Palaeoproterozoic granular iron formations and implications for the origin of granules
Dodd, M. S., Papineau, D., She, Z., Fogel, M. L., Nederbragt, S., & Pirajno, F. (2018) · Precambrian Research · doi:10.1016/j.precamres.2018.02.016 · Cited by 43 · see citing works
Self-citation
Metalliferous Sediment and a Silica-Hematite Deposit within the Blanco Fracture Zone, Northeast Pacific
Hein, J. R., Clague, D. A., Koski, R. A., Embley, R. W., & Dunham, R. E. (2008) · Marine Georesources and Geotechnology · doi:10.1080/10641190802430986 · Cited by 42 · see citing works
Inorganic self-organisation in precambrian cherts
Garcı́a-Ruiz, J. M. (1994) · Origins of Life and Evolution of Biospheres · doi:10.1007/bf01582030 · Cited by 42 · see citing works
Organic biomorphs may be better preserved than microorganisms in early Earth sediments
Nims, C., Lafond, J., Alléon, J., Templeton, A. S., & Cosmidis, J. (2021) · Geology · doi:10.1130/g48152.1 · Cited by 41 · see citing works
Hematite‐coated microfossils: primary ecological fingerprint or taphonomic oddity of the Paleoproterozoic?
Shapiro, R. S., & Konhauser, K. O. (2015) · Geobiology · doi:10.1111/gbi.12127 · Cited by 40 · see citing works
Nanoscale petrographic and geochemical insights on the origin of the P alaeoproterozoic stromatolitic phosphorites from A ravalli S upergroup, I ndia
Papineau, D., Gregorio, B. T. D., Fearn, S., Kilcoyne, A. L. D., McMahon, G., Purohit, R., & Fogel, M. L. (2015) · Geobiology · doi:10.1111/gbi.12164 · Cited by 40 · cited 3× · see citing works
“Abiotic chemically oscillating reactions during the early diagenetic oxidation of organic matter can partly explain the formation of these nodules, granules, and ro-settes ( 25 – 27 ).”
Self-citation
Chemical-Garden Formation, Morphology, and Composition. II. Chemical Gardens in Microgravity
Cartwright, J. H. E., Escribano, B., Sainz-Díaz, C. I., et al. (2011) · Langmuir · doi:10.1021/la104193q · Cited by 40 · cited 1× · see citing works
“S10G), although not well-organized like the NSB filaments ( 35 ).”
Frutexites-like structures formed by iron oxidizing biofilms in the continental subsurface (Äspö Hard Rock Laboratory, Sweden)
Heim, C., Quéric, N. V., Ionescu, D., Schäfer, N., & Joachim Reitner, A. (2017) · PLoS ONE · doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0177542 · Cited by 40 · see citing works
On the biogenicity of Fe‐oxyhydroxide filaments in silicified low‐temperature hydrothermal deposits: Implications for the identification of Fe‐oxidizing bacteria in the rock record
Johannessen, K. C., McLoughlin, N., Vullum, P. E., & Thorseth, I. H. (2019) · Geobiology · doi:10.1111/gbi.12363 · Cited by 38 · see citing works
Preserved Filamentous Microbial Biosignatures in the Brick Flat Gossan, Iron Mountain, California
Williams, A. J., Sumner, D. Y., Alpers, C. N., Karunatillake, S., & Hofmann, B. A. (2015) · Astrobiology · doi:10.1089/ast.2014.1235 · Cited by 32 · see citing works
A late Paleoproterozoic (1.74 Ga) deep‐sea, low‐temperature, iron‐oxidizing microbial hydrothermal vent community from Arizona, USA
Little, C. T. S., Johannessen, K. C., Bengtson, S., Chan, C. S., Ivarsson, M., Slack, J. F., Broman, C., Thorseth, I. H., Grenne, T., Rouxel, O. J., et al. (2021) · Geobiology · doi:10.1111/gbi.12434 · Cited by 31 · see citing works
Self-citation
Chemical sedimentary protoliths in the >3.75Ga Nuvvuagittuq Supracrustal Belt (Québec, Canada)
Mloszewska, A. M., Mojzsis, S. J., Ernesto Pecoits, A., Papineau, D., Dauphas, N., & Konhauser, K. O. (2012) · Gondwana Research · doi:10.1016/j.gr.2012.11.005 · Cited by 29 · cited 1× · see citing works
“…environment ( 6 ) • Occurrences of jasper and ankerite veins in amphibolite record fluid circulation in the basaltic seafloor ( 102 ) • Presence of inosilicate and phyllosilicate minerals in BIF points to prograde and retrograde metamorphic reactions ( 4 ) • Chalcopyrite from…”
Self-citation
Chemically oscillating reactions in the formation of botryoidal malachite
Papineau, D. (2019) · American Mineralogist · doi:10.2138/am-2020-7029 · Cited by 27 · cited 1× · see citing works
“S11E) ( 39 ), and the self-assembly of spherical vesicles of fatty acids from meteorites or mixed solutions [fig.”
Self-citation
Intracellular and extracellular mineralization of a microbial community in the Edmond deep-sea vent field environment
Peng, X., Zhou, H., Li, J., Li, J., Chen, S., Yao, H., & Wu, Z. (2010) · Sedimentary Geology · doi:10.1016/j.sedgeo.2010.06.003 · Cited by 25 · cited 1× · see citing works
“S13 , B and C) ( 12 , 44 , 45 ).”
Generation of hydrothermal Fe‐Si oxyhydroxide deposit on the Southwest Indian Ridge and its implication for the origin of ancient banded iron formations
Sun, Z., Li, J., Huang, W., Dong, H., Little, C. T. S., & Li, J. (2015) · Journal of Geophysical Research Biogeosciences · doi:10.1002/2014jg002764 · Cited by 22 · see citing works
Self-citation
Draft Genome Sequence of Chromatium okenii Isolated from the Stratified Alpine Lake Cadagno
Luedin, S. M., Liechti, N., Cox, R. P., et al. (2019) · Scientific Reports · doi:10.1038/s41598-018-38202-1 · Cited by 22 · see citing works
Chemically Oscillating Reactions during the Diagenetic Formation of Ediacaran Siliceous and Carbonate Botryoids
Papineau, D., Yin, J., Devine, K. G., Liu, D., & She, Z. (2021) · Minerals · doi:10.3390/min11101060 · Cited by 22 · cited 2× · see citing works
“This interpretation stems from the similar, circularly concentric patterns that radially expand during redox reactions involving C, S, and Fe, such as the Belousov-Zhabotinsky reaction ( 28 ), and that may be preserved in mineral compositions ( 29 ).”
Self-citation
Applying the box plot to the recognition of footwall alteration zones related to VMS deposits in a high-grade metamorphic terrain, South Africa, a lithogeochemical exploration application
Theart, H. F. J., Ghavami-Riabi, R., Mouri, H., et al. (2010) · Geochemistry · doi:10.1016/j.chemer.2010.09.002 · Cited by 21 · see citing works
Surface reactivity of the anaerobic phototrophic Fe(II)-oxidizing bacterium Rhodovulum iodosum: Implications for trace metal budgets in ancient oceans and banded iron formations
Martinez, R. E., Konhauser, K. O., Paunova, N., Wu, W., Alessi, D. S., & Kappler, A. (2016) · Chemical Geology · doi:10.1016/j.chemgeo.2016.09.004 · Cited by 19 · see citing works
Identifying microbial life in rocks: Insights from population morphometry
Rouillard, J., Garcı́a-Ruiz, J. M., Kah, L. C., et al. (2019) · Geobiology · doi:10.1111/gbi.12377 · Cited by 19 · cited 1× · see citing works
“S11, A to D) ( 9 , 37 , 38 ), with an aspect ratio of about 1, although only a few abiotic biomorphs of silica-witherite form irregular ellipsoids (fig.”
The Oldest Fossil or Just Another Rock?
Eiler, J. M. (2007) · Science · doi:10.1126/science.1146923 · Cited by 14 · cited 1× · see citing works
“This observation is relevant for the controversial origin of apatite within the Eoarchean quartz-pyroxene rock from Akilia in Greenland, which has a U-Pb age of 1504 ± 335 Ma ( 56 ), debated as possibly reset by thermal metamorphism ( 57 ).”
Widespread poly-metamorphosed Archean granitoid gneisses and supracrustal enclaves of the southern Inukjuak Domain, Québec (Canada)
Greer, J., Caro, G., Cates, N. L., Tropper, P., Bleeker, W., Kelly, N. M., & Mojzsis, S. J. (2020) · Lithos · doi:10.1016/j.lithos.2020.105520 · Cited by 12 · see citing works
Geochemical and textural investigations of the Eoarchean Ukaliq supracrustals, Northern Québec (Canada)
Chowdhury, W., Trail, D., Guitreau, M., Bell, E. A., Buettner, J. E., & Mojzsis, S. J. (2020) · Lithos · doi:10.1016/j.lithos.2020.105673 · Cited by 10 · see citing works

Flagged first, then by citations

Research works printed but not linked: 1

H. Ohmoto M. B. Goldhaber Geochemistry of hydrothermal ore deposits in Geochemistry of Hydrothermal Ore Deposits H. L. Barnes Ed. (Wiley ed. 3 1997).

Sorted by citations

The Sentient Cell
Reber, A. S., Baluška, F., & Miller, W. B. (2023) · doi:10.1093/oso/9780198873211.001.0001 · Cited by 64 · see citing works
Origin and Evolution of Nitrogen Fixation in Prokaryotes
Pi, H., Lin, J.-J., Chen, C., Wang, P., Chiang, Y., Huang, C., Young, C., & Li, W. (2022) · Molecular Biology and Evolution · doi:10.1093/molbev/msac181 · Cited by 51 · see citing works
“According to isotopic records, ancient anaerobic Fe-oxidizing bacteria might have evolved around 3.77– 4.28 Ga (Dodd et al. 2017; Lepot 2020; Papineau et al. 2022).”
BackgroundInfluential
Setting the geological scene for the origin of life and continuing open questions about its emergence
Westall, F., Brack, A., Fairén, A. G., & Schulte, M. D. (2023) · Frontiers in Astronomy and Space Sciences · doi:10.3389/fspas.2022.1095701 · Cited by 44 · see citing works
The Habitability of Venus
Westall, F., Höning, D., Avice, G., Gentry, D. M., Gerya, T., Gillmann, C., Izenberg, N. R., Way, M. J., & Wilson, C. (2023) · Space Science Reviews · doi:10.1007/s11214-023-00960-4 · Cited by 42 · see citing works
“We noted above purported microbial fossils associated with hydrothermal activity from the 3.8 Ga Nuvvuagittuq Supracrustal terrane (Dodd et al. 2017; Papineau et al. 2022) that have since been reinterpreted as of abiotic origin (McMahon 2019; Greer et al. 2020; Lan et al. 2022).”
BackgroundInfluential
Comparative orotomy of the Archean Superior and Phanerozoic Altaid orogenic systems
Kusky, T., & Şengör, A. M. C. (2022) · National Science Review · doi:10.1093/nsr/nwac235 · Cited by 29 · see citing works
Microbial biosignatures in ancient deep‐sea hydrothermal sulfides
Runge, E., Mansor, M., Kappler, A. A., & Duda, J. (2022) · Geobiology · doi:10.1111/gbi.12539 · Cited by 25 · see citing works
“gets for studying ancient microbial microfossils; indeed, various reported microbial Fe oxide filaments were found in such jasper (Dodd et al., 2017; Little et al., 2004, 2021; Papineau et al., 2022).”
Background
The Last Universal Common Ancestor of Ribosome-Encoding Organisms: Portrait of LUCA
Forterre, P. (2024) · Journal of Molecular Evolution · doi:10.1007/s00239-024-10186-9 · Cited by 26 · see citing works
Simulated early Earth geochemistry fuels a hydrogen-dependent primordial metabolism
Helmbrecht, V., Reichelt, R., Grohmann, D., & Orsi, W. D. (2025) · Nature Ecology & Evolution · doi:10.1038/s41559-025-02676-w · Cited by 16 · see citing works
“The ancient occurrence of hydrothermal iron-sulfide rich deposits in the geological record extend into the early Archaean Eon (Eoarchaean 4.0–3.6 billion years ago) and exhibit fossil features interpreted as some of the oldest signatures for life on Earth 8,9 .”
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Precambrian Earth: Co-evolution of life and geodynamics
Westall, F., & Xiao, S. (2024) · Precambrian Research · doi:10.1016/j.precamres.2024.107589 · Cited by 15 · see citing works
Plate Tectonics: The Stabilizer of Earth’s Habitability
Wang, Z., Zhang, J., Zong, K., Kusky, T., & Wang, Y. (2023) · Journal of Earth Science · doi:10.1007/s12583-023-1864-9 · Cited by 16 · see citing works
“The earliest life was born in the early liquid ocean of the Earth (Papineau et al., 2022; Korenaga, 2021; Benner et al., Plate Tectonics: The Stabilizer of Earth’s Habitability 2020; Dodd et al., 2017; Li and Kusky, 2007; Davies, 2001; Jannasch and Mottl, 1985).”
Background
Botryoidal quartz as an abiotic signature in Palaeoarchean cherts of the Pilbara Supergroup, Western Australia
Varkouhi, S., Papineau, D., & Guo, Z. (2022) · Precambrian Research · doi:10.1016/j.precamres.2022.106876 · Cited by 15 · see citing works
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Advanced Praise for The Sentient Cell: The Cellular Foundations of Consciousness
Reber, A. S., Baluška, F., & Miller, W. B. (2023) · Oxford University Press eBooks · doi:10.1093/oso/9780198873211.002.0008 · Cited by 15 · see citing works
Freshwater and Evaporite Brine Compositions on Hadean Earth: Priming the Origins of Life
Sahai, N., Adebayo, S., & Schoonen, M. A. A. (2022) · Astrobiology · doi:10.1089/ast.2020.2396 · Cited by 11 · see citing works
“Indeed, the same conclusion has been reached with the discovery of bacterial microfossils in banded iron formations dated to 4.28 to 3.75 Ga in the Nuv-vuagittuq Supracrustal Belt, Canada (Papineau et al. , 2022), FRESHWATER AND BRINE COMPOSITIONS ON HADEAN EARTH suggesting that life got a very early start on Earth an…”
Influential
Self-Similar Patterns from Abiotic Decarboxylation Metabolism through Chemically Oscillating Reactions: A Prebiotic Model for the Origin of Life
Papineau, D., Devine, K. G., & Nogueira, B. A. (2023) · Life · doi:10.3390/life13020551 · Cited by 12 · see citing works
“The transition from the primordial lifeless Earth to a planet teeming with life occurred within a few hundred million years after the accretion of the solar system [1] and must have involved abiotic carbon cycling.”
BackgroundSelf-citation
Mapping Geological Events and Nitrogen Fixation Evolution Onto the Timetree of the Evolution of Nitrogen-Fixation Genes
Pi, H., Chiang, Y., & Li, W. (2024) · Molecular Biology and Evolution · doi:10.1093/molbev/msae023 · Cited by 10 · see citing works
What the earliest evidence for life tells us about the early evolution of the biosphere
Westall, F. (2025) · Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B Biological Sciences · doi:10.1098/rstb.2024.0106 · Cited by 11 · see citing works
Silica botryoids from chemically oscillating reactions and as Precambrian environmental proxies
Varkouhi, S., & Papineau, D. (2023) · Geology · doi:10.1130/g50948.1 · Cited by 10 · see citing works
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Magnesium silicate chimneys at the Strytan hydrothermal field, Iceland, as analogues for prebiotic chemistry at alkaline submarine hydrothermal vents on the early Earth
Gutiérrez‐Ariza, C. M., Barge, L. M., Ding, Y., Cardoso, S. S. S., McGlynn, S. E., Nakamura, R., Giovanelli, D., Price, R. E., Lee, H., Huertas, F. J., et al. (2024) · Progress in Earth and Planetary Science · doi:10.1186/s40645-023-00603-w · Cited by 10 · see citing works
“…have been LCHF-like—resulting from aqueous alteration of olivine-rich crust—or whether they would have been more similar to basalt-hosted vents (Miyazaki and Korenaga 2022; Barnes and Arndt 2019; Papineau et al. 2022) or even vents produced by aqueous alteration of komatiite (Ueda et al. 2021).”
Background
A crescendo of competent coding (c3) contains the Standard Genetic Code
Yarus, M. (2022) · RNA · doi:10.1261/rna.079275.122 · Cited by 9 · see citing works
Abiotic synthesis of graphitic carbons in the Eoarchean Saglek-Hebron metasedimentary rocks
Guo, Z., Papineau, D., OʼNeil, J., Rizo, H., Chen, Z., Qiu, X., & She, Z. (2024) · Nature Communications · doi:10.1038/s41467-024-50134-1 · Cited by 8 · see citing works
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Competition–defense trade-offs in the microbial world
Thingstad, T. F. (2022) · Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences · doi:10.1073/pnas.2213092119 · Cited by 8 · see citing works
“In the microbial world, life strategies and their trade-offs have evolved over a timespan of something like 4 billion years (8).”
Background
Chemically Oscillating Reactions as a New Model for the Formation of Mineral Patterns in Agate Geodes and Concretions
Papineau, D. (2024) · Minerals · doi:10.3390/min14020203 · Cited by 7 · see citing works
“This is because many key ancient fossils are preserved with botry-oids or within concretionary structures, including Earth’s oldest fossil microorganisms from the Eoarchean–Hadean Nuvvuagittuq Supracrustal Belt [12,13].”
BackgroundSelf-citation
Molecular mechanism of metamorphic alteration on traces of early life in banded iron formations
Nan, J., Peng, Z., Wang, C., Papineau, D., She, Z., Guo, Z., Peng, X., Zhou, J., Hu, Y., Yao, W., et al. (2023) · Earth and Planetary Science Letters · doi:10.1016/j.epsl.2023.118226 · Cited by 7 · see citing works
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Genesis of Devonian volcanic-associated Lahn-Dill-type iron ores — part I: iron mobilisation and mineralisation style
Schmitt, L., Kirnbauer, T., Angerer, T., Volkmann, R., Владимирович, Р. В., Wirth, R., & Klein, S. (2023) · Mineralium Deposita · doi:10.1007/s00126-023-01218-3 · Cited by 6 · see citing works
“…haematite associated with quartz pores (Egglseder et al. 2018), spherules surrounded by syneresis cracks (Duhig et al. 1992; Grenne and Slack 2003a), and tube and filamentous stalk-like textures (Duhig et al. 1992; Grenne and Slack 2003a; Dodd et al. 2017; Little et al. 2021; Papineau et al. 2022).”
Pioneers of Origin of Life Studies—Darwin, Oparin, Haldane, Miller, Oró—And the Oldest Known Records of Life
Schopf, J. W. (2024) · Life · doi:10.3390/life14101345 · Cited by 6 · see citing works
“…of life—alleged microfossils and/or putative micro-bialite stromatolites—have been described from each of these especially ancient terrains, e.g., [46,47], the evidence is slim, except for that known from the Pilbara Craton, and none of the reports pertains to life’s earliest formative stages.”
Background
Widespread chemically oscillating reactions during oxidative organic diagenesis recorded during the Ediacaran
Papineau, D., She, Z., Jiao, L., Liu, S., Liu, D., Luo, G., & Li, C. (2025) · Chemical Geology · doi:10.1016/j.chemgeo.2025.122753 · Cited by 6 · see citing works
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Astrobiology: resolution of the statistical Drake equation by Maccone's lognormal method in 50 steps
Mieli, E., Valli, A. M. F., & Maccone, C. (2023) · International Journal of Astrobiology · doi:10.1017/s1473550423000113 · Cited by 6 · see citing works
The Biological Information Cycle
Reber, A. S., Baluška, F., & Miller, W. B. (2023) · Oxford University Press eBooks · doi:10.1093/oso/9780198873211.003.0007 · Cited by 5 · see citing works
The aerobic biosphere as an O2 sink before the Great Oxygenation Event: geobiological feedback to solid Earth and surface oxidation
Runge, E., Vulpius, S., Herwartz, D., Pack, A., Brachmann, C., & Noack, L. (2025) · Geo-Bio Interfaces · doi:10.1180/gbi.2025.10003 · Cited by 5 · see citing works
The Early Earth as an Analogue for Exoplanetary Biogeochemistry
Stüeken, E. E., Olson, S. L., Moore, E. K., & Foley, B. J. (2024) · Reviews in Mineralogy and Geochemistry · doi:10.2138/rmg.2024.90.14 · Cited by 5 · see citing works
The Sentient Cell
Reber, A. S., Baluška, F., & Miller, W. B. (2024) · doi:10.1002/9781119865667.ch13 · Cited by 4 · see citing works
Amide groups in 3.7 billion years old liquid inclusions
Harding, M. A. R., Boyd, A. J., Siljeström, S. M., Shivayogimath, A., Shamsuyeva, M., Aliuos, P., Rosing, M. T., & Hassenkam, T. (2024) · Scientific Reports · doi:10.1038/s41598-024-74571-6 · Cited by 3 · see citing works
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Westall, F., Höning, D., Avice, G., Gentry, D. M., Gerya, T., Gillmann, C., Izenberg, N. R., Way, M. J., & Wilson, C. (2022) · doi:10.1002/essoar.10512790.1 · Cited by 2 · see citing works
Origin and Evolution of Pseudomurein Biosynthetic Gene ClustersPreprint
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Abbreviations
Reber, A. S., Baluška, F., & Miller, W. B. (2023) · Oxford University Press eBooks · doi:10.1093/oso/9780198873211.002.0007
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Preface
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Abiotic Siliceous Botryoids on Iron Oxyhydroxide Filaments From Hydrothermal Vents in the Southwest Indian Ocean
Papineau, D., Ta, K., Ge, Y., Qu, Y., Du, M., Li, J., Liu, S., Wang, D., & Peng, X. (2025) · Geochemistry Geophysics Geosystems · doi:10.1029/2025gc012541
“Sample PC0822 from the Hadean Nuvvuagittuq Supracrustal Belt (Dodd et al., 2017; Papineau et al., 2022; Sole et al., 2025) was also prepared into polished thin sections and analyzed to provide new observations, only by polarizing microscopy, in this work.”
InfluentialSelf-citation
Additional file 1 of Magnesium silicate chimneys at the Strytan hydrothermal field, Iceland, as analogues for prebiotic chemistry at alkaline submarine hydrothermal vents on the early Earth
Gutiérrez‐Ariza, C. M., Barge, L. M., Ding, Y., Cardoso, S. S. S., McGlynn, S. E., Nakamura, R., Giovanelli, D., Price, R. E., Lee, H. E., Huertas, F. J., et al. (2024) · Figshare · doi:10.6084/m9.figshare.26687046
Ichnofossils in volcanic glass from palaeoproterozoic hydrothermal vents were burrowed by microorganisms probably seeking phosphate
Papineau, D. (2026) · Communications Earth & Environment · doi:10.1038/s43247-026-03359-5
“Hydrothermal systems have been microbial habitats since the beginning of the rock record 1 – 4 , and they have been suggested as the cradle of life on Earth 5 – 7 .”
Self-citation
Apparition d'un métabolisme primitif dans les scénarios géochimiques d'origine de la vie. Avant le monde ARN
Ter‐Ovanessian, L. M. P. (2022) · theses.fr (ABES) · doi:10.70675/127363f6z9511z4582z9a7azd31ee7d91f30
Tricks of Nature From the Ancient Earth and Early Mars: Chemical Gardens Generate Biomorphs With High Preservation Potential
Hirsch, S., McMahon, S., Najorka, J., & Sephton, M. A. (2026) · Geobiology · doi:10.1111/gbi.70045
“These findings may be especially significant for the interpretation of some of the most ancient microfossils, many of which consist of iron-mineralised filaments, often hosted in siliceous matrices (Dodd et al. 2017; Papineau et al. 2022; Rasmussen 2000; Shapiro and Konhauser 2015).”
The Hadean and Archean Eons on Earth and Moon
Malcuit, R. J. (2026) · Springer eBooks · doi:10.1007/978-3-032-15962-5_3
History of Planet Venus as a Sister Planet of Earth
Malcuit, R. J. (2026) · Springer eBooks · doi:10.1007/978-3-032-15962-5_5
Chemical and Physical Evolution of the Crust
Chowdhury, W., Trail, D., & Ackerson, M. (2026) · Astrobiology · doi:10.1177/15311074261452816
“Dodd et al. (2017) and Papineau et al. (2022) reported evidence for possible Fe metabolizing bacteria in 3.8 Ga hydrothermal vent deposits in the Nuvvuagituuq Supracrustal Belt, Canada.”
Influential
Protocode mats and living membranes: A new hypothesis for the origin of the standard genetic code
Nesterov‐Mueller, A., & Schmidt, D. (2026) · Biosystems · doi:10.1016/j.biosystems.2026.105849
“…organisms densely layered ” in 3.43 Ga stromatolites (Allwood et al., 2006) and “ compact bundles of filaments ” 3.75 – 4.28 Ga in seafloor jasper (Papineau et al., 2022) — a colonial organization that would favour the association of entities of different origin and competency, and hence the…”
Influential

Authors: Papineau, D., She, Z., Dodd, M. S., Iacoviello, F., Slack, J. F., Hauri, E., Shearing, P., & Little, C. T. S.
Affiliations: London Centre for Nanotechnology (GB)
China University of Geosciences (CN)
University College London (GB)
United States Geological Survey (US)
Carnegie Institution for Science (US)
University of Leeds (GB)
Corresponding author: Papineau, Dominic
Hauri, Erik
ORCID: Papineau, Dominic
She, Zhenbing
Dodd, Matthew S.
Iacoviello, Francesco
Slack, John F.
Hauri, Erik
Shearing, Paul
Little, Crispin T. S.
Venue: Science Advances
Publisher: American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)
Published: 2022-04-15
Volume: 8
Issue: 15
Pages: eabm2296-eabm2296
ISSN: 2375-2548 (ISSN-L)
DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abm2296
PMC: PMC9007518
OpenAlex: W4224023717
Semantic Scholar: 2425046de42f71346b956eadbb78d4bef8afc251
Cited by: 76
References: 107
Citations by year: 2026: 6 · 2025: 13 · 2024: 16 · 2023: 30 · 2022: 11
FWCI: 12.67
Type: journal article
Language: en
Open access: gold
doi.org
Licence: cc-by-nc
Locations: Science Advances (publishedVersion, cc-by-nc)
PubMed (publishedVersion)
White Rose Research Online (University of Leeds, The University of Sheffield, University of York) (acceptedVersion)
PubMed Central (submittedVersion, cc-by-nc)
UCL Discovery (University College London) (submittedVersion)
Funders: National Natural Science Foundation of China
Topics: Physical Sciences › Earth and Planetary Sciences › Paleontology › Paleontology and Stratigraphy of Fossils
Physical Sciences › Physics and Astronomy › Astronomy and Astrophysics › Origins and Evolution of Life
Physical Sciences › Earth and Planetary Sciences › Geochemistry and Petrology › Geochemistry and Elemental Analysis
Keywords: banded iron formations, microfossils, iron-oxidizing bacteria, silicification, Mars habitability

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Metabolically diverse primordial microbial communities in Earth’s oldest seafloor-hydrothermal jasper

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