Around 700 million years ago, Earth underwent one of its most extreme climatic events – the entire planet froze over, transforming into a giant snowball. Now, researchers believe they have uncovered the mystery behind this dramatic glaciation.
The Sturtian Glaciation: Earth's Deep Freeze
The period, known as the Sturtian glaciation, represents one of the most severe ice ages in our planet's history. For decades, scientists have debated what could have caused such extreme global cooling.
A Perfect Storm of Geological Events
New evidence suggests a combination of factors triggered this planetary deep freeze:
- Unusually low volcanic activity reduced atmospheric CO2 levels
- Continental drift positioned most landmasses near the equator
- Enhanced weathering of rocks absorbed more greenhouse gases
Breaking the Ice: How Earth Thawed
The research also explains how Earth eventually emerged from its frozen state. Over millions of years, volcanic activity gradually rebuilt atmospheric CO2 levels, creating a powerful greenhouse effect that melted the global ice cover.
This discovery not only solves a long-standing geological mystery but also provides valuable insights into Earth's climate system and how extreme climate changes can occur.
