Scientists have uncovered the oldest known pigment, preserved for over a billion years in ancient cyanobacteria from Mauritania's Taoudeni Basin, marking a groundbreaking discovery in Earth's history.

This pigment is notably 600 million years older than any previously discovered, offering unprecedented insights into early life on Earth.

The pigment, identified by graduate student Nur Gueneli, turned bright pink when exposed to an organic solvent, revealing fossilized chlorophyll from ancient blue-green algae.

Senior researcher Jochen Brocks compared the significance of this find to discovering dinosaur skin that still retains its original colors, emphasizing its importance for understanding Earth's past.

The discovery prompts questions about the environmental conditions that delayed the emergence of complex life, despite the oxygen produced by cyanobacteria.

Findings suggest that while cyanobacteria dominated ancient oceans, their proliferation may have created an evolutionary bottleneck, impacting the development of more complex organisms.