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2mo ago

Ancient Glaciers Shaped Earth's Oceans, Boosting Evolution of Complex Life

New research reveals how massive glaciations 700 million years ago altered ocean chemistry, 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

  • During the Neoproterozoic era, global glaciations acted as geological bulldozers, scraping Earth's crust and releasing rare minerals into the oceans.
  • Researchers analyzed zircon grains from ancient rocks in Scotland and Ireland, uncovering evidence of intensified erosion during glacial periods.
  • The influx of minerals, including uranium, into oceans significantly altered ocean chemistry, supporting microbial life and early nutrient cycling.
  • These changes in ocean conditions likely contributed to the evolution of complex multicellular organisms after the Cryogenic period.
  • The study highlights parallels between ancient climate shifts and modern climate change, emphasizing Earth's interconnected systems.