• Force_majeure123
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        5 days ago

        Those are thrombolites! Ancient bacterial (?) colonies that are still alive, they turn the air and stuff into calcium deposits

        • TheWitchofThornbury
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          5 days ago

          Stromatolites? Yeah, relics of the first life on earth. Or are thrombolites different from stromatolites? Never heard of thrombolites.

          • Force_majeure123
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            5 days ago

            https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thrombolite
            Thrombolites can be distinguished from microbialites or stromatolites by their massive size, which is characterized by macroscopic clotted fabric. Stromatolites are similar but consist of layered accretions. Thrombolites appear with random patterns that can be seen by the naked eye, while stromatolites has the texture of built-up layers.[2]

          • sqgl@beehaw.org
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            4 days ago

            From the rabbit hole…

            Both structures are created by cyanobacteria.

            The name “cyanobacteria” (from Ancient Greek κύανος (kúanos) ‘blue’) refers to their bluish green (cyan) color,[5][6] which forms the basis of cyanobacteria’s informal common name, blue-green algae.[7][8][9][note 2]

            Common blue-green algae has magic properties!

    • Seagoon_
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      5 days ago

      I have ancient life envy. 💖 So very very cool.