Researchers have discovered pockets of living microbes within a sealed fracture of a 2-billion-year-old rock from the Bushveld Igneous Complex in South Africa, an area known for its rich ore deposits.
- This is the oldest example of living microbes found within ancient rock to date.
- The rock sample was taken from the Bushveld Igneous Complex (BIC).
- Bushveld Igneous Complex (BIC) is a rocky intrusion in northeastern South Africa. It was formed when magma slowly cooled below the Earth’s surface.
- The BIC covers an area of approximately 66,000 square kilometers.
