News From the Field
Oxygen-free Early Oceans Likely Delayed Rise of Life on Planet

January 10, 2011

University of California, Riverside, geologists have found chemical evidence in 2.6 billion-year-old rocks that indicates that Earth's ancient oceans were oxygen-free and contained abundant hydrogen sulfide in some areas. The researchers are the first to show that ample hydrogen sulfide in the ocean was possible this early in Earth's history. Full Story

Source
University of California, Riverside

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The National Science Foundation (NSF) is an independent federal agency that supports fundamental research and education across all fields of science and engineering. In fiscal year (FY) 2012, its budget was $7.0 billion. NSF funds reach all 50 states through grants to nearly 2,000 colleges, universities and other institutions. Each year, NSF receives about 50,000 competitive requests for funding, and makes about 11,500 new funding awards. NSF also awards about $593 million in professional and service contracts yearly.

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