Bitter Springs Group facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Bitter Springs Group Stratigraphic range: Cryogenian-Tonian ~896–767Ma Had'n Archean Proterozoic Pha.
Type	Geological group
Sub-units	Gillen, Loves Creek & Johnnys Creek Formations
Lithology
Primary	Chert
Location
Coordinates	23°32′34″S 134°27′26″E / 23.5427°S 134.4572°E / -23.5427; 134.4572
Region	Northern Territory
Country	Australia
Extent	Amadeus Basin

The Bitter Springs Group is a special place in Australia where scientists find very old fossils. These fossils come from the Precambrian time, which was billions of years ago. This area is famous for preserving tiny living things, called microorganisms, inside a hard rock material called silica.

The way these tiny creatures turned into fossils at Bitter Springs is quite unique. This special type of fossilization stopped happening later in the Precambrian period. This was around the time when more complex organisms started to appear.

What Fossils Are Found at Bitter Springs?

Scientists have found many types of tiny fossils here. One important discovery is cyanobacteria microfossils. Cyanobacteria are very old types of bacteria. They are sometimes called blue-green algae. They were among the first life forms on Earth.

There have also been claims of finding eukaryotic green algae fossils. Eukaryotic organisms are more complex than bacteria. They have cells with a nucleus. However, scientists are still discussing if these green algae fossils are truly from this site.

Why is Bitter Springs Group Important?

The Bitter Springs Group is like a time capsule. It helps us learn about early life on Earth. The fossils here show us what tiny living things looked like. They also show how they lived in ancient times.

Studying these fossils helps us understand how life evolved. It also teaches us about the environment of our planet long, long ago.

Images for kids

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  Fossil stromatolites from the Bitter Springs Group. Stromatolites are layered rocks formed by ancient microorganisms.