Irish scientists solve 2 billion-year-old riddle of life’s structure

A TWO billion-year-old riddle of how the basic building blocks of life were formed has been solved by scientists in Ireland, it was announced yesterday.

“Nature’s big bang”, when two single cells fused into one living organism, has been mapped for the first time by researchers led by a team from the National University of Ireland (NUI) in Maynooth. Dr James McInerney, senior biologist, said the discovery in effect traced humans’ oldest ancestor.

“This was a remarkable event, which appears to have happened only once,” Mr McInerney said.