Greenland Fossils, Earth's Oldest, Pose an Evolutionary Dilemma

The origin of cellular life, with all that implies by way of mind-bogglingly sophisticated biological information in action, now seems to have occurred as early in earth's history as it could have done -- 3.7 billion years ago. Just right off the bat it happens, "immediately," as one paleontologist puts it in amazement: genetic code, proteins, photosynthesis, the works.

It's reported in Nature ("Rapid emergence of life shown by discovery of 3,700-million-year-old microbial structures"). From...