cloud of dust/smoke/gas etc: a mass of dust, smoke etc in the air, or a large number of insects flying together.
interstellar: happening or existing between starst.
stromatolite: 叠层石
mound: a pile of earth or stones that looks like a small hill./a large pile of something
photosynthesising bacteria: 光合细菌
intriguingly: something that is intriguing is very interesting because it is strange, mysterious, or unexpected.
in question: the things, people etc in question are the ones that are being discussed.
if something is in question, there is doubt about it.
swathe: a long thin area of something, especially land.
swathe of…
cut a swathe through something: to destroy a large or part of something.
hudson bay: 哈德森湾
lava: hot liquid that flows from a volcano, or this rock when it has become solid.
outcrop: a rock or group pf rock above the surface of this ground. 露头
jasper: a red, yellow, or brown stone that is not very valuable. 碧玉
quartz: 石英砂
nodule: (尤指植物上的)节结，小瘤
micron: a metric unit of length equal to one millionth of a meter. 微米
rostte-shaped: 玫瑰形
conclusive: showing something is definitely ture.
conclusive proof/evidence/findings etc.
hematite: 赤铁矿
flament: 细丝
anchor: to fasten something firmly so that it cannot move.
be anchored in something: to be strongly connected with a particular system, way of life.
lump: a small piece of something solid, without a particular shape.
a lump in/to somebody’s throat: a feeling that you want to cry.
take your lump(AmE): to accept the bad things that happen and not let them affect you.
corkcrew: 螺旋
contend: to argue or stte that something is true. contend that
to compete against something in order to gain something. contend for
to have to deal with something difficult or unpleasant. contend with something
hydrothermal vent: 深海热泉
plate tectonics: 板块构造论
laden: heavily loaded with something, or containing a lot of something
having a lot of a particular quality, thing etc.
mineral-laden: 富含矿物质的
the signature of living organism. 活体生物的迹象
that made him sit up: 这让它为之一振
bear more than a passing resemblance: 有许多相似之处