Chemistry and AI pushes biosignature detection for life back billions of years
Combining analytical chemistry with machine learning doubled the age of ancient rocks that can be examined for signs of primordial life
Chemistry combined with AI has been used to detect chemical signs of life in ancient rocks up to 3.3 billion years old. The approach could enable scientists to unlock previously inaccessible biomolecular secrets from rocks older than 1.7 billion years old, helping to unravel the mysteries of life’s origins and the evolution of its biochemical processes, including photosynthesis, as well as aid the search for extraterrestrial life.