The Difficulties of Decoding Early Life

Abstract

We now know that the search for evidence of the earliest life of Earth focuses on finding morphological remains or body (micro)fossils, morphological trace fossils indicative of life, and/or chemical trace fossils indicative of biological metabolisms. This sounds relatively straightforward, but several difficulties plague these investigations. A sound understanding of these difficulties is necessary to prevent much frustration both in the field and in the laboratory.