Doushantuo Formation, Geological formation in Guizhou Province, China.
The Doushantuo Formation is a geological rock deposit in Guizhou Province, China, made up of black shales and phosphate-rich stone layers. It is divided into four distinct segments and holds microfossils from an ancient marine setting.
The formation was identified in 1924 by the Chinese geologist Li Siguang and dates to the Ediacaran period, around 635 million years ago. It records a time when more complex organisms were starting to appear in the world's oceans.
The site draws researchers and students from around the world who come to read the oldest known traces of multicellular life in rock. The layers of black shale and phosphate-rich stone are so well preserved that tiny fossils can still be seen with the naked eye.
The outcrops are located in rural parts of Guizhou Province and are best reached through smaller nearby towns. It is worth asking locally about exact access points before setting out, as the sites can be spread across a wide area.
Among the fossils found in the formation are tiny ball-shaped structures that scientists still debate whether they are animal or plant embryos. This ongoing disagreement makes the layers one of the most contested sites in paleontology worldwide.
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