Researchers funded by NASA have discovered that Earth's earliest life forms used the rare metal molybdenum over 3 billion years ago. This metal is critical for enzymes that manage carbon, nitrogen, and sulphur reactions, suggesting that complex metabolic strategies existed long before the Great Oxidation Event. The study indicates that ancient microbes likely sourced molybdenum from localized environments like deep-sea hydrothermal vents. This finding shifts the timeline of biological evolution and provides new markers for scientists searching for signs of life on other planets.
