Evolution. when did photosynthesis emerge on Earth?
De Marais, D.J.; Des Marais, D.J.
Science 289(5485): 1703-1705
2000
ISSN/ISBN: 0036-8075 PMID: 11001737 Document Number: 522075
Life began early in Earth's 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.