What is Stromatolite?

Stromatolite is the accumulated mass of microorganisms that grew so closely together that they form a mat. Stromatolites are usually formed in layers, creating a characteristic stratified appearance and are subject to intense geologists' interest. Until the 20th century, the only proof of the stromatoliths in fossil was, and scientists assumed that these unique biofilms were extinct. In Australia in Shark Bay, however, a colony of living stromatoliths was discovered that swung the scientific world. Life in the form of a colony is very advantageous for these organisms and many examples of microorganisms living in similar colonies can be found around the world. One stromatolite may take thousands of years, layer on a layer and may occur in different shapes; Many stromatoliths look like columns, but they can also form in discs, pyramids and ring as a giant MissApen donut. These organisms create energy using carbon and sunlight oxide and the by -products are calcium oxygen and calcium, also known as lime. PermanentThe huge amount of stromatoliths on Earth probably helped to fill the atmosphere with oxygen, while the generation of lime has ensured that they will be fossilized to look at people in the future.

Modern living stromatolite colonies usually occur in areas with high -sized and very warm water, imitating the conditions in which the stromatolites survived during the Precambrian era. These bacteria mats are very fragile, which can explain why modern colonies have been found in distant areas, far from the reach of hums and pastures that could damage them. In fact, the Shark Bay colony has been described as a world heritage and recognizes its uniqueness.

In fossilized form, the stromatolite has a distinctive scaly layers of material that are often formed in hills and hummock. It is also common to find bearings of different minerals between the layers and provide traces where they were created and what conditions were. ManyThe fossilized stromatoliths are quite colored, with a rich color tapes between more colored layers and are popular collector objects.