Cosmology: snowball Earth advanced life (Introduction)

by David Turell , Wednesday, July 07, 2021, 22:08 (1234 days ago) @ David Turell

News study finds evidence of flowing water:

https://phys.org/news/2021-07-earth-orbit-enabled-emergence-complex.html

"Scientists at the University of Southampton have discovered that changes in Earth's orbit may have allowed complex life to emerge and thrive during the most hostile climate episode the planet has ever experienced.

"The researchers—working with colleagues...studied a succession of rocks laid down when most of Earth's surface was covered in ice during a severe glaciation, dubbed 'Snowball Earth', that lasted over 50 million years.

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"The research team ventured into the South Australian outback where they targeted kilometre-thick units of glacial rocks formed about 700 million years ago. At this time, Australia was located closer to the equator, known today for its tropical climates. The rocks they studied, however, show unequivocal evidence that ice sheets extended as far as the equator at this time, providing compelling evidence that Earth was completely covered in an icy shell.

"The team focused their attention on "Banded Iron Formations", sedimentary rocks consisting of alternating layers of iron-rich and silica-rich material. These rocks were deposited in the ice-covered ocean near colossal ice sheets.

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'The team's results help explain the enigmatic presence of sedimentary rocks of this age that show evidence for flowing water at Earth's surface when this water should have been locked up in ice sheets. Dr. Gernon states: "This observation is important, because complex multicellular life is now known to have originated during this period of climate crisis, but previously we could not explain why".

"'Our study points to the existence of ice-free 'oases' in the snowball ocean that provided a sanctuary for animal life to survive arguably the most extreme climate event in Earth history", Dr. Gernon concluded."

Comment: how many 'chance' events or lucky accidents allowed/caused us to appear, or was God guiding it all?