India, Nov. 18 -- Scientists have detected chemical evidence of life in 3.3-billion-year-old rocks using advanced chemistry and AI.

The findings push back molecular signs of oxygen-producing photosynthesis by nearly a billion years.

Machine-learning models distinguished biological from non-biological materials with over 90% accuracy.

The method could help resolve long-standing debates about early life and guide the search for extraterrestrial biosignatures.

Scientists have detected chemical traces of life in 3.3-billion-year-old rocks, pushing back the molecular record of biology on Earth by some 800 million years - and offering a powerful new tool in the search for life beyond the planet.

In a study published in the journal Proceedi...