What Can Carbon Isotopes Tell Us About Sources of Reduced Carbon in Rocks from the Early Earth

摘要: Carbon isotopes have been widely used as a tool to search for evidence of life in rocks from the early Earth. Many oldest on Earth found contain isotopically light reduced carbon, which many researchers interpreted biological origin. While carbon isotopic compositions are consistent with biologically produced organic matter, alternative non-biological sources that might also explain data not given thorough consideration. A review composition potential indicates signatures encompass values ancient rocks, indicating Archean could plausibly derive sources. These observations indicate provided by remains far conclusive, and additional criteria need be applied before it can convincingly determined whether has or