Prehistoric crystals offer clues on when freshwater first emerged on Earth, study shows

Researchers discovered the earliest record of freshwater, and now crystals may lead researchers to discover when life on Earth began, a new study says.

A new study, which was published inNature Geoscience on Monday, states that freshwater likely appeared on Earth four billion years ago or earlier.

Hamed Gamaleldien led a team of researchers that analyzed grains of zircon, a crystal found in Jack Hills, Western Australia.

Gamaleldien and his team discovered the earliest record of freshwater found on land and said it is about four billion years old.

His team studied ancient crystals, called zircons, that provided evidence of freshwater.

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Why study zircon?

Zircon is the oldest martial is different from other crystals. Gamaleldien told USA TODAY that it's the "gold standard."

Other crystals, like quarts, couldn't be used in this study. While quarts are hard and resistant to erosion, it doesn't have uranium or lead, so they can't be dated.

But zircon, on the other hand, can be dated using the uranium and lead found in it. Oxygen also gets trapped inside the crystal, and it gives researchers an alternative way to date it.

"It's quite different than other minerals," said Gamaleldien.

According to Oregon Public Broadcasting, zircon is known as the “Time Lord,” because of how well it keeps "geologic time."

It's an "interesting mineral," said Gamaleldien.

Not only is it "interesting," but it's the oldest material found on earth,

Why is this study important?

To find out exactly when life started, scientists need to know when fresh water first began to interact with the earth's crust.

Single-celled organisms first formed in freshwater found above the earth's surface, said Gamaleldien.

According to him, knowing when exactly fresh water first made its appearance on Earth will give scientists a better timeframe of when it became possible for life to form on Earth.

Gamaleldien adds that finding this evidence could raise more questions about the first living organisms that formed on this planet.

For example, if researchers can pinpoint when life formed, will they then be able to find the main ingredient that created life itself? It's a question that Gamaleldien hopes his study will help answer.

"This is all the starting point of our research," said Gamaleldien.

Why do we need to know about single-celled organisms?

According to National Geographic, every living species that ever walked the earth evolved from a single-celled organism.

By researching when and how these cells first formed, scientists will then be able to learn more about how dogs, cats and even humans came to exist on this planet.