Jakarta –
Earth In ancient times, it was very different from the conditions now. Once upon a time, the Earth was a bright white mass of ice and snow. Research conducted by a group of scientists from Australia provides quite concrete evidence regarding this condition and the reasons behind it.
“Imagine the Earth is almost completely frozen. That’s what happened about 700 million years ago, the planet was covered in ice from the poles to the equator and the temperature dropped drastically,” said Dr. Adriana Dutkiewicz, Australian Research Council (ARC) Future Fellow and professor at the University of Sydney.
What causes this is still an open question. According to Dutkiewicz, who led the research, the team made important discoveries during a field trip to the Flinders Range in South Australia.
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Using a plate tectonic model that shows the location of Earth’s continents and ocean basins around 700 million years ago, the team found the starting point of a devastating ice age. The Sturtian Glaciation, as it is called, lasted between 717 and 660 million years ago.
What might have caused the start of this frozen time period? Scientists say there is a significant loss of carbon dioxide emissions from volcanoes in Canada. This resulted in a prolonged situation on the Ice Planet.
“At that time, there were no multicellular animals or land plants on Earth. The concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere was almost entirely determined by the release of CO2 gas from volcanoes and the weathering process of silicate rocks, which consume CO2,” explained Dutkiewicz.
So, if the Earth can freeze before, can the Earth freeze again later? Before humans colonized Earth, the planet’s climate was naturally influenced by geology and weather. In contrast to today, human activities such as burning coal exacerbate these natural changes.
Quoted detikINET from Space, Dutkiewicz added that although big changes take time, we must remain vigilant in protecting our planet.
“Whatever happens in the future, it is important to note that geological climate change, as studied here, occurs very slowly,” said Dr. Dutkiewicz. This research was published in the February edition of the journal Geology.
Watch the Video “Tourism Bureau in the US Invites Aliens to Vacation on Earth”
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(fyk/afr)
2024-02-19 22:45:32
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