Fossil mimics may be more common in ancient rocks than actual fossils

Abiotic objects that resemble microbes are much hardier than their biological brethren

biomorphs

Sphere-shaped “biomorphs” — crystalline objects made abiotically through chemical reactions — can closely resemble microfossils. Such biomorphs are more likely to be preserved in rocks than fossils of microorganisms, researchers say.

C. Nims

When it comes to finding fossils of very ancient microbial life — whether on Earth or on other worlds, such as Mars — the odds are just not in our favor.