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Early life forms may have been terrestrial

Controversial theory suggests early life forms were land-dwellers

By Susan Milius

- More than 2 years ago

Some of the fossils celebrated as sea life’s big breakout beyond mere soups and slimes might actually have dwelled on land, argues a controversial new study.

ROUGH CHALLENGE 550-million-year-old fossils of Dickinsonia and Parvancorina from South Australia lie in rock textured like old elephant skin. That texture might indicate fossilized soil from land, suggests a new study that challenges the prevailing view that the Ediacaran fossils were all sea creatures.