Scientists have discovered new fossil green algae

Previously, the oldest green algae was considered algae dating back 0.8 billion years. In this case, as shown by molecular work, green algae should have appeared about a billion years ago; however, a new find made in the northern part of China, in the Nanfen area, allows us to revise this estimate.

Researchers have discovered new fossil green algae in a breed about a billion years old; the find was called Proterocladus antiquus (it belongs to siphon and clad algae). Scientists examined the algae in detail under a microscope and saw that it had a branching multicellular thallus, a rather advanced feature (the first green algae were supposed to be unicellular).

This showed that the previous assessment of the appearance of the first green algae seems to be underestimated — they should have appeared earlier, once a billion years ago complex multicellular forms already existed.