World's oldest fossils found in Canada, say scientists

If correct, the microfossils, thought to have formed between 3.77bn and 4.28bn years ago, offer the oldest direct evidence of and insight into life on Earth

Scientists say they have found the world's oldest fossils, thought to have formed between 3.77bn and 4.28bn years ago.

Comprised of tiny tubes and filaments made of an iron oxide known as haematite, the microfossils are believed to be the remains of bacteria that once thrived underwater around hydrothermal vents, relying on chemical reactions involving iron for their energy.