Abstract
Nanoball structures have been frequently detected in modern and ancient sedimentary rocks worldwide. They are widely believed to be biological in origin due to their similar morphology to modern bacteria. Abundant, well-preserved nanoball structures from the oncoids of the Boonall Dolomite of Ediacaran age in the Kimberley region, northwestern Australia are being described. Scanning electron microscopic imaging indicates that these minute objects are identical with nanobacteria previously documented elsewhere. However, nano-secondary ion microprobe (NanoSIMS) imaging analysis could not reveal the presence of organic elements such as C, N and S in the nanoball-like structures. Therefore, a biological origin for the Ediacaran nanoball structures seems unlikely. NanoSIMS imaging analysis may well be needed for other occurrences of nanoball structures in order to determine if all of these similar objects are really of biological origin.
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