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Earth & Geology
Ancient Earth Looked Nothing Like the Planet We Know Today
Fact 1 of 274%
Earth was once a purple planet instead of a green one.
Early microbes likely used retinal instead of chlorophyll.
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Ancient microbes might have relied on purple retinal molecules rather than green chlorophyll to harness solar energy. This suggests that for millions of years, the Earth's surface and oceans appeared deep violet.
"The retinal pigment predates chlorophyll in the evolutionary timeline."
This early biological phase would have made the planet look unrecognizable from space compared to its modern blue and green marble appearance.
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