Articles tagged with Geologic History
A study published in Nature Communications reveals that ancient ocean chemistry created a self-sustaining cycle that kept oxygen levels high after they first rose. This cycle, fueled by phosphorus recycling, allowed for biological productivity and maintained oxygen in the atmosphere.
Researchers at the University of Texas at Austin have redated a meteor impact site in Oklahoma, shifting its age from 467.5 million years ago to 370 million years ago. This discovery has significant implications for understanding ancient life and mass extinctions.
A giant volcanic eruption 21.9 million years ago buried an entire landscape beneath volcanic deposits, preserving clues to how the Andes were built. The study found that the landscape was built slowly, with rocks pushed upward by 0.26 km every million years.
A new species of Jurassic squid-like animal, Wyoteuthis linsterorum, has been discovered in Wyoming, USA, with an unusually thick, barrel-shaped skeleton. The discovery, made by an international team of researchers, confirms the existence of an ancient family of belemnites previously thought to have disappeared millions of years earlier.
Researchers discovered that prehistoric builders deliberately transported enormous 25-tonne stones from Brimham Rocks 18km away to build Britain's tallest stone row, the Devil's Arrows. The study challenges long-held assumptions about ancient monument construction and highlights the importance of landscape and shared belief systems.
Scientists propose a colossal cliff across ancient North America may have exposed Grand Canyon's oldest rocks nearly a billion years before it was carved by the Colorado River. The study suggests the 'great escarpment' of steep rocky cliffs formed when the supercontinent Rodinia broke apart 800 million years ago.
Scientists used chemical clues in microscopic fossils to find evidence that ocean acidification caused one of the largest extinction events in planktic foraminifera history. The study suggests that volcanic eruptions and rising CO2 levels led to a decrease in shell-building ability, ultimately contributing to the extinction.
Researchers analysed stone blocks and bricks from the Dutch East India Company's ship Batavia, revealing the materials came from at least two different quarry areas in what is now Germany. The study used advanced geochemical techniques to trace the origin of the cargo, uncovering hidden details about global trade routes.
Researchers identified a rare CO chondrite meteorite as the probable impactor that struck Earth 66 million years ago, leading to the extinction of 75% of Earth's species. The study used advanced nickel isotope analysis to narrow down the composition of the deadly Cretaceous-Palaeogene meteorite.
A UH Mānoa study reveals the Hawaiian mantle plume has gotten hotter, producing two of the largest volcanoes in the Main Hawaiian Island chain. The research found a strong correlation between mantle temperatures and volcano size, with heat surges occurring at 14-20 million years ago and 0-6 million years ago.
A new UNM-led study combines ancient sand grains and fish DNA to reveal the Colorado River's gradual formation between 8-4.8 million years ago through Grand Canyon. The research team found that the river emerged as a series of smaller proto-rivers linked together over approximately 3 million years.
Researchers have found evidence that water played a major role in shaping the Earth's interior and driving volcanic activity over 3.1 billion years ago. The study suggests that another process called 'dripduction' may have been transporting water into the mantle, influencing the formation of volcanic rocks.
Researchers found that the formation of escarpments and mountains in East Antarctica created high ground for snow and ice to accumulate. This led to the initial ice sheet formation 34 million years ago, allowing it to spread across the continent and eventually become the largest ice sheet on Earth.
A review paper synthesizes nearly 20 years of research on the Great Barrier Reef's responses to sea-level shifts, finding five distinct reef phases that formed, drowned, and reformed over 30,000 years. The study highlights the reefs' dynamic nature and reveals they were shaped by multiple environmental pressures.
Researchers found that the Andes of west-central Argentina formed in four distinct and rapid pulses of activity, each lasting about 5 to 8 million years. This growth rate is faster and more punctuated than previously thought, outpacing the steady timeline expected from subduction.
Researchers from Curtin University and the Geological Survey of Western Australia have precisely dated the oldest known asteroid impact on Earth to around 3 billion years ago. This discovery pushes the Earth's impact record deeper into geological time, offering a rare glimpse of the violent processes that shaped the early Earth.
A new study reveals that ancient Britons likely transported the Altar Stone of Stonehenge 700km across challenging terrain, requiring careful planning and coordination. The research uses mineral grain dating and ice-sheet modeling to confirm human transport over natural Ice Age processes.
Researchers have discovered ancient iceberg plowmarks along the Great Lakes that suggest lake-effect snow was pushed toward western shores during the Ice Age, potentially reducing snowfall in cities like Buffalo and Cleveland. The study provides critical context for paleoclimate researchers studying future climate patterns.
A new study reveals how responsive Greenland's ice sheet is to climate change, with widespread methane release linked to an episode of warming around 4,000 years ago. The findings highlight the role of recent ice margin fluctuations on subglacial carbon cycling, with implications for global methane budget assessments.
Research reveals strong global link between ancient subduction zones and formation of rare earth element deposits and carbonatites. Ancient tectonic processes are critical to locating economically viable rare mineral deposits.
A new study published in Science reveals that tectonic plates began moving around 3.5 billion years ago, with the Pilbara Craton in western Australia showing evidence of plate movement and drift. The research used ancient rock samples to track the motion of the plates, providing insights into Earth's history and evolution.
A new study finds that Antarctica's gravity hole formed as a result of slow rock movements deep under the Earth's surface, which overlapped with major changes in the continent's climate system. The study suggests that future research could reveal how the shifting gravity may have encouraged the growth of ice sheets.
Scientists have discovered evidence of repeating climate cycles operating every few years to decades during the Cryogenian glaciation, a period known as Snowball Earth. The findings suggest that these cycles were likely exceptions rather than the norm, and were triggered by small patches of open ocean in the tropics.
Researchers found a surprising correlation between West Antarctic Ice Sheet retreat and marine algae growth over the past 500,000 years. The study suggests that global warming may lead to reduced CO2 uptake if the ice sheet continues to shrink.
Researchers analyzed over 500 zircon crystals and found no evidence of glaciers transporting the bluestones to Stonehenge. The study strengthens the case for human transport, leaving the exact method a mystery. Advanced mineral fingerprinting techniques provided key insights into geological history.
Scientists have developed a new way to track landscape development over millions of years using cosmogenic krypton in zircon minerals. This method reveals how climate, tectonics, and sediment transport are linked, providing insights into the Earth's surface history.
Mars plays a measurable role in shaping Earth's long-term climate patterns, including ice ages, through its gravitational influence and orbital cycles. The study suggests that Mars' presence is necessary for the existence of major climate cycles, which have driven evolutionary changes on Earth.
A study by University of Washington researchers found that climate changes over 56 million years ago led to diversification of modern carnivores. The Eocene-Oligocene Transition and Mid-Miocene Climate Transition drove the emergence of new body shapes among species such as dogs, cats, bears, and seals.
Research led by the University of Washington found that climate transitions over 56 million years ago fueled the emergence of diverse carnivoran body shapes. The Eocene-Oligocene Transition led to changes between families, while the Mid-Miocene Climate Transition drove diversification within families.
Researchers at the University of Alberta have found evidence of abiotic nitrogen reduction, a reaction driven by minerals as catalyst, which likely produced necessary nutrients for life. This discovery sheds light on the faint young sun paradox and provides a key piece to understanding how life may have emerged on Earth.
A new study reveals that Madagascar's striking landscape was shaped by two great rifting events, separated by nearly 80 million years. These tectonic shifts created fragmented environments where species evolved independently, contributing to the island's extraordinary biodiversity.
Researchers from the University of Göttingen have identified oxygen isotopes in 'cherts' as indicators of heat flow on early Earth. The study reveals that cherts record paleo-heat flow on the Shatsky Rise oceanic plateau, providing insights into the conditions on the Earth's surface up to 3.5 billion years ago.
The study reveals that the Patagonian ice sheet underwent periods of expansion and contraction, contrary to earlier assumptions. The driving force for long-term fluctuations was found to be changes in summer seasons and solar radiation, known as integrated summer energy.
Researchers found similarities in timing and structure of turbidite layers in cores from both fault systems, suggesting seismic synchronization between Cascadia and San Andreas faults. The study, led by Chris Goldfinger, suggests that earthquakes on one fault could draw down resources across the country.
A new method, pioneered by University of Sydney student Carra Williams, uses neutron computed tomography to identify well-preserved pockets of coral skeleton that can reveal precise timelines of sea-level and climate shifts. The technique has the potential to transform how scientists reconstruct ancient climates.
The Red Sea experienced a massive disruption 6.2 million years ago, completely changing its marine life and transforming into a barren salt desert. The catastrophic flood from the Indian Ocean rapidly refilled the basin, restoring normal marine conditions within less than 100,000 years.
Researchers have discovered a large pipe swarm with remnants of hydrogen hydrothermal activity west of the Mussau Trench. The discovery suggests that a huge amount of hydrogen may have been formed deep in the ocean lithospheric mantle, potentially leading to economically mineable reserves.
A new study led by Curtin University has shed light on the formation of a promising new niobium deposit in central Australia. The research, published in Geological Magazine, used advanced geochronology and isotope techniques to unravel the complex geological history of the area.
A new study by the University of Gothenburg suggests that thawing permafrost played a significant role in raising carbon dioxide levels after the last ice age. Researchers estimate that this carbon exchange may have accounted for almost half of the rising CO2 levels.
A new Stanford study suggests that unvegetated meandering rivers can leave sedimentary deposits similar to those of braided rivers, rewriting the story of plants and rivers' relationship with Earth. This finding has implications for understanding Earth's ancient and future climate, including carbon storage in floodplains.
Dr. Ilya Bobrovskiy's research aims to improve understanding of ancient habitats' carbon cycles, tracking coevolution of life and environments. He will analyze rocks using organic geochemistry, isotope geochemistry, and paleontology.
Fossilized dinosaur teeth contain oxygen isotopes that indicate high carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere during the Mesozoic Era, which was four to three times higher than today. This data suggests dynamic climates with double primary plant production, contributing to their extinction.
A large region of unusually hot rock deep beneath the Appalachian Mountains in the United States could be linked to Greenland and North America splitting apart 80 million years ago. The 'mantle wave' theory suggests that hot, dense rock slowly peels away from the base of tectonic plates after continents break apart.
An international team of researchers proposes that a meteorite impact just west of Winslow, Arizona, created Meteor Crater and triggered a massive landslide in the Grand Canyon. The study found evidence of a paleolake forming at the same time, with driftwood dating back to around 55,000 years.
Researchers have found extensive, previously unmapped flat surfaces beneath a 3,500 km stretch of the East Antarctic coastline, which were formed by large rivers after East Antarctica and Australia broke apart. These surfaces may currently be regulating the rate of ice loss from the East Antarctic Ice Sheet.
A 2.35-billion-year-old meteorite offers fresh insights into the Moon's volcanic history and suggests ongoing internal heat generation processes. The rock's distinct composition provides new constraints on when and how volcanic activity occurred on the Moon.
Researchers found five periods of decreased ocean oxygen concentrations coinciding with increased carbon dioxide levels 300 million years ago. This discovery highlights human-driven carbon dioxide emissions as a significant threat to marine biodiversity.
Researchers confirm human presence in the Americas between 23,000 and 21,000 years ago with a new study that uses ancient mud to date footprints. The findings contradict previous understanding of the peopling of North America and have sparked a reevaluation of archaeological theories.
A nearly complete fossil of Westlothiana lizziae, a four-legged creature, has been dated to 346 million years ago, shedding new light on the evolution of amphibians, birds, reptiles, and mammals. This age places the specimens in Romer's Gap, a pivotal time period where water-dwelling fish transitioned to land animals.
Scientists from the University of Göttingen have made a groundbreaking discovery, finding ruthenium in volcanic rocks on the islands of Hawaii. The finding suggests that material from the Earth's core is leaking into the mantle above, challenging previous assumptions about the planet's internal dynamics.
A 1,200-tonne boulder in Tonga is one of the largest known wave-transported rocks, providing new insights into past tsunamis. Numerical modelling suggests tsunami heights of 50m lasting 90 seconds dislodged the boulder from its cliff-edge origin.
A massive meteorite impact in Scotland, previously believed to occur 1.2 billion years ago, has been dated to 990 million years ago. This discovery has significant implications for our understanding of the evolution of non-marine life on Earth and its potential influence on environmental conditions.
A new study by Texas A&M University researchers has revealed insights into Mars' geological history and potential for ancient life. The team analyzed diverse volcanic rocks in the Jezero Crater, providing a window into the planet's distant past and signs of altered olivine.
Researchers at Washington University in St. Louis analyzed rainfall data and found that the July 2022 floods were not as exceptional as initially thought. The study suggests storms like this will become more frequent due to global warming, which is increasing the frequency of extreme precipitation events.
Researchers found that Earth's first crust, formed 4.5 billion years ago, likely had chemical features similar to modern continental crust, rewriting the geological timeline. This suggests the distinctive chemical signature of continents was established at the beginning of Earth's history.
A 30-meter sediment core from the Great Blue Hole in Belize provides the longest recorded storm frequency data for the Atlantic, with 574 storm events over 5,700 years. The research reveals a steady increase in tropical storms and hurricanes in the southwestern Caribbean due to climate change.
Researchers from Curtin University and Geological Survey of Western Australia have discovered the world's oldest known impact crater, dating back to 3.5 billion years ago. The discovery was made in the Pilbara region of Western Australia and provides new insights into the origins of life on Earth.
A new study by researchers from the University of Tokyo reveals that helium can bond with iron under extreme conditions, contradicting previous findings. The discovery suggests there could be significant amounts of helium in the Earth's core, potentially rewriting our understanding of the planet's origins.
A USC study has found a drastic increase in building collapses in Alexandria, Egypt, due to rising sea levels and seawater intrusion. The researchers used a three-pronged approach to assess the impact of shoreline changes on the city's buildings.
Researchers have found an unexpected accumulation of rare beryllium-10 isotopes in Pacific seabed samples, which could serve as a global time marker for dating geological archives spanning millions of years. The team proposes two possible explanations for the anomaly: changes in ocean currents or astrophysical events 10 million years ago.