Life on Earth began 4.1 billion years ago: Study

New York: Upturning a long-held belief that early Earth was dry and desolate, researchers have now found evidence that life likely existed on our home plant at least 4.1 billion years ago -- 300 million years earlier than previous research suggested.

The discovery indicates that life may have begun shortly after the planet formed 4.54 billion years ago. The research suggests life in the universe could be abundant, he said.

The researchers, led by Elizabeth Bell, postdoctoral scholar in Harrison's Laboratory, studied immensely old zircons - minerals that can serve as time capsules - originally formed from molten rocks, or magmas, from Jack Hills in Western Australia.

Zircons are heavy, durable minerals related to the synthetic cubic zirconium used for imitation diamonds. They capture and preserve their immediate environment, meaning they can serve as time capsules.

In the ancient zircons, the researchers were searching for carbon, the key component for life. They found that one of the zircons contained graphite -- pure carbon -- in two locations. The graphite is older than the zircon containing it, the researchers said.