When Did Photosynthesis Emerge on Earth?
@article{Marais2000WhenDP, title={When Did Photosynthesis Emerge on Earth?}, author={David J. Des Marais}, journal={Science}, year={2000} }
Life began early in Earth9s history, but it was the emergence of photosynthesis that allowed its proliferation across the planet, because it freed life from its sole dependence on abiotic chemical sources of reducing power.
Des Marais
discusses recent geological and molecular biological evidence, such as the paper by
Xiong
et al., that photosynthesis emerged at least 2,800 million years ago.
270 Citations
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An understanding of the origin and evolution of photosynthesis is of substantial interest, as it may help to explain inefficiencies in the solar energy storage process.
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