Particle.news
Download on the App Store
8 ARTICLES
·
last mo.

Ancient Glaciers Shaped Earth's Chemistry, Enabling Complex Life

New research reveals how glaciers during the Cryogenian period altered ocean chemistry by releasing critical nutrients, paving the way for multicellular organisms.

The mineral makeup of sediments during an ancient deep freeze when glaciers crept toward the sea, eroding Earth's crust, greatly differed from that of later sediments when the planet was a hothouse, a study found. Fingal's Cave on Staffa island, which has distinctive basalt columns, is seen in Scotland's Hebrides.
The surprisingly blue cast to this ice is caused by a lack of air trapped inside the glacier, which causes blue light to be trapped inside.
Glaciers, like the one seen here, may have once carved through the Earth's crust similar to how they can carve valleys in rock today. (PositiveTravelArt/Shutterstock)
QAQORTOQ, GREENLAND - JULY 30: Calved icebergs from the nearby Twin Glaciers are seen floating on the water on July 30, 2013 in Qaqortoq, Greenland. Boats are a crucial mode of transportation in the country that has few roads. As cities like Miami, New York and other vulnerable spots around the world strategize about how to respond to climate change, many Greenlanders simply do what theyve always done: adapt. "Were used to change, said Greenlander Pilu Neilsen. "We learn to adapt to whatever comes. If all the glaciers melt, well just get more land. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

Overview

  • The Cryogenian period, around 700 million years ago, saw Earth covered in vast glaciers extending from the poles to the equator.
  • Massive glaciers acted like bulldozers, grinding Earth's crust and releasing minerals, including uranium, into the oceans during thawing periods.
  • This influx of minerals changed ocean chemistry, boosting oxygen levels and providing nutrients critical for the evolution of complex life forms.
  • The study highlights how geological and climatic processes, such as glaciation and volcanic activity, are deeply interconnected with Earth's biological development.
  • Scientists emphasize that understanding these ancient climate shifts offers insights into modern climate change and its potential long-term impacts.