New research led by the Carnegie Institution for Science uses AI to detect molecular fingerprints in rocks over 3.3 billion years old. By training computers to recognize degraded biomolecules, scientists have pushed back the emergence of photosynthesis by nearly a billion years.

We discuss the methodology behind these "chemical whispers," the contribution of Michigan State University’s fossil samples, and why this innovation is a game-changer for identifying biosignatures on other celestial bodies.