Earth Sciences

Abiotic synthesis of graphitic carbons in the Eoarchean Saglek-Hebron metasedimentary rocks

Z. Guo, D. Papineau, et al.

This research investigates the intriguing premise that graphite found in Eoarchean Saglek-Hebron metasedimentary rocks might be linked to ancient life. Conducted by Zixiao Guo and colleagues, it reveals how variations in graphite crystallinity can shed light on the metamorphic history of original biomass and the potential for abiotic synthesis, offering important insights into prebiotic organic matter preservation.

00:00

Playback language: English

Index

Abstract

Graphite in Eoarchean Saglek-Hebron metasedimentary rocks (Canada), previously interpreted as an ancient life trace due to its <sup>13</sup>C depletion, is investigated for crystallinity variations to understand metamorphic effects on original biomass. Analyses suggest poorly crystalline graphite deposited from C-H-O fluids resulting from syngenetic organic matter decomposition, preserved as crystalline graphite during metamorphism. In contrast, graphite in marble co-occurs with carbonate and magnetite, indicating abiotic synthesis via decarbonation. Variably crystalline graphitic carbons are thus identified as potential abiotic products, providing insights into prebiotic organic matter preservation.

Publisher

Nature Communications

Published On

Jul 06, 2024

Authors

Zixiao Guo, Dominic Papineau, Jonathan O'Neil, Hanika Rizo, Zhong-Qiang Chen, Xincheng Qiu, Zhenbing She

Related Publications

Explore these studies to deepen your understanding of the subject.

Political Science

A synthesis of Kantian ethics and Rousseauvian General Will in justifying the moral ground of political laws

S. Lin

Chemistry

A sustainable synthesis of the SARS-CoV-2 Mpro inhibitor nirmatrelvir, the active ingredient in Paxlovid

J. R. A. Kincaid, J. C. Caravez, et al.

Medicine and Health

The implication of the illness metaphors of *In America*: Mitigating negative effects of metaphors through illness narratives in the postpandemic era of COVID-19

R. Dai and S. Peng

Biology

Mechanism of fertilization-induced auxin synthesis in the endosperm for seed and fruit development

L. Guo, X. Luo, et al.

Listen, Learn & Level Up

Over 10,000 hours of research content in 25+ fields, available in 12+ languages.

No more digging through PDFs, just hit play and absorb the world's latest research in your language, on your time.

listen to research audio papers with researchbunny