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Signs of Life Found Inside Rock Salt

On July 21, 2008, reporter Aaron Gronstal wrote in "Astrobiology Magazine" that cellulose fibers were found inside ancient rock salt. Cellulose is a common fiber found in many plants and in some bacteria. Researchers Jack Griffith et al, of the University of North Carolina, made this discovery in New Mexico salt deposits. The fibers, called cellulose, are very well preserved, since the salt prevented bacterial decay. This was an interesting discovery, since it is extremely rare to find cellulose fibers this old.

Age of Cellulose Fibers
- The age of the cellulose fibers are estimated to be 250 million years old. This was achieved by studying the microscopic fibers in the water drops trapped inside the salt crystals. Salt prevents decay by bacteria. This is why in the ancient times, before refrigeration, people would preserve meats and fish by heavily salting them. The salt solution prevented the decay of the fibers, so when discovered, the cellulose was very well-preserved.
Findings
- According to Mr.Gronstal, the cellulose is the oldest biological extremely small matter, called macromolecules, that has been isolated. Macromolecules are clumps of biological molecules. The cellulose came from deep underground, so the natural effects of the elements such as radiation did not affect them. Photomicrographs reveal a mat-like surface, composed of entangled fibers. Because of the exceptional level of preservation, the researchers were able to study the biochemistry of the fibers extensively.
Significance
- Finding biological matter this old, but yet so well preserved, is beyond rare. First, the age of the specimen places it as the oldest evidence of life on Earth. Second, the preservation due to salt is also extremely rare. This gives researchers a very good specimen for analysis.
Outcomes
- Many theories and speculations came out of this finding. Most of the speculation deals with life on other planets, directed at Mars. If salt were able to preserve a specimen for this long, then perhaps on Mars the same process could occur. If salt were discovered on Mars by a future exploratory NASA mission, perhaps the Martian salt could be micro-analyzed for signs of ancient life.

Nature