Dresser Formation Stromatolites Form

Around 3.48 billion years ago in present-day Western Australia, some of Earth's earliest microbial communities formed layered structures called stromatolites. These complex communities of microorganisms, likely including ancient cyanobacteria, created distinctive sedimentary structures through their metabolic activities, trapping and binding sediments. These stromatolites were preserved in what is now known as the Dresser Formation in the Pilbara Craton, representing some of the oldest well-verified evidence of life on Earth. The Dresser Formation stromatolites contain multiple lines of evidence for biogenicity, including distinctive microfabrics, chemical biosignatures, and structural features indicating biological growth.