Article ID | Journal | Published Year | Pages | File Type |
---|---|---|---|---|
4723332 | Precambrian Research | 2013 | 10 Pages |
Abstract
⺠Abundant pumice clasts are found in the â¼3460 Ma Apex Basalt. ⺠This discovery enables the testing of the hypothesis that pumice provided a cradle for early life. ⺠Pumice clasts contain potential biominerals including sulfides and phosphates, plus intimate associations of C, N, P and S. ⺠Pumice clasts contain catalytic minerals such as titanium oxide, plus altered clays and zeolites. ⺠Catalysts and molecules needed for the earliest stages of life were found in pumice rafts in the earliest oceans on Earth.
Keywords
Related Topics
Physical Sciences and Engineering
Earth and Planetary Sciences
Geochemistry and Petrology
Authors
Martin D. Brasier, Richard Matthewman, Sean McMahon, Matt R. Kilburn, David Wacey,