Read at www.nytimes.com
Researchers at the University of Sydney believe they have solved the mystery of how Earth became a frozen wasteland during the Snowball Earth phase around 717 million years ago. They propose that a global drop in carbon dioxide emissions from fewer volcanic eruptions caused a depletion of CO2 in the atmosphere, making it more difficult for the atmosphere to trap heat. This theory sheds light on how geological processes can influence climate and may help scientists better understand current climate trends and human-induced CO2 emissions.
Earth's glaciation, they say, may have come from a global drop in carbon dioxide emissions, a result of fewer volcanoes expelling the gas into the atmosphere.
In the past, there were no humans to influence CO2 levels, so understanding how geological processes can impact climate is crucial. The study also highlights the possibility that minerals released by the weathering of rock could have played a role in drawing down CO2 levels and triggering a deep freeze. The findings contribute to our understanding of Earth's past climate and provide valuable insights into the factors that can drive major climate changes.
There are many ideas about what turned Earth into a snowball. One popular theory suggests that minerals released by the weathering of igneous rock sucked enough carbon dioxide from the atmosphere to set off a deep freeze.