The Daily Galaxy --Great Discoveries Channel May 07, 2026 • 15:45

Earth's Rarest Metal Was Thought to Be Useless to Ancient Life, Until Researchers Discovered Something in 3-Billion-Year-Old Fossils - The Daily Galaxy

By Sarah Jones

A rare metal, nearly nonexistent in Earth's oceans at the time, turned out to be a key player in the survival of early life.

Three billion years ago, Earth’s oceans were basically empty when it came to metals. But somehow, microscopic life found a way forward, and it did it with molybdenum, of all things. Scientists have d… [+4473 chars]

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Earth's Rarest Metal Was Thought to Be Useless to Ancient Life, Until Researchers Discovered Something in 3-Billion-Year-Old Fossils - The Daily Galaxy

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