stromatolite
/stroʊˈmætəlaɪt/
noun
- A layered rock-like structure formed by the growth of tiny organisms called cyanobacteria (blue-green algae) in shallow water, often found as fossils from ancient times.
- Tourists visited the lake to see living stromatolites growing in the shallow water.
- The oldest fossils on Earth are stromatolites, dating back over three billion years.
- Scientists study stromatolites to learn how early life shaped the planet's environment.