# Evolution of the molybdenum and vanadium cycles through time and their impact on ancient nitrogen fixation

Source: [nature.com](https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-026-79171-8) · 2026-11-12 · Life
Page: https://themorning.science/story/evolution-of-the-molybdenum-and-vanadium-cycles-through-time-and-their-impact-on-736f98f9ff4f35af
Kind: research · Impact: low

## In brief

- Partitioning experiments and Fe-rich sediments indicate vanadium was removed from Archean–Paleoproterozoic seawater more efficiently than molybdenum.
- This left seawater relatively enriched in molybdenum compared with vanadium.
- The study links this Mo/V imbalance to ancient nitrogen fixation, though the source excerpt does not state the full conclusion.

## Why it matters

The study ties past ocean chemistry to the availability of nutrients for early nitrogen-fixing microbes, which helps reconstruct how the early biosphere and ocean redox evolved.

## Timeline

- 2026-11-12: Published online in Nature Communications (doi:10.1038/s41467-026-79171-8)

## Coverage

- [Evolution of the molybdenum and vanadium cycles through time and their impact on ancient nitrogen fixation](https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-026-79171-8) — nature.com, 2026-11-12

Tags: geochemistry, molybdenum, vanadium, nitrogen fixation, archean, paleoproterozoic

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Brief generated by AI (claude-haiku-5-5) from the reporting listed under Coverage. Headlines belong to their publishers. The Morning Science – https://themorning.science