Scientists Confirm Earth Was Once a Giant Snowball, Triggering Evolutionary Boom

New research has confirmed that Earth was once entirely covered in ice, resembling a giant snowball, during a period known as the Sturtian glaciation, approximately 720 to 660 million years ago. This discovery was made by scientists from University College London, who analyzed ancient rock formations in Scotland and Ireland.

Their findings provide strong evidence supporting the "Snowball Earth" hypothesis, which suggests that Earth was frozen for nearly 60 million years.

The research team studied over 2,000 zircon grains from sandstone layers at depths of 200 meters. By examining the decay of uranium into lead within the zircons, they accurately dated the rocks to the Sturtian glaciation period, when Earth's climate underwent drastic changes. This global freeze is believed to have triggered the rise of complex, multicellular life forms as the planet thawed.

The discovery of well-preserved geological records in Scotland is particularly significant, as glaciers in most other parts of the world have eroded such evidence. The transition from a warm climate to a frozen Earth, followed by the eventual thaw, played a pivotal role in shaping the planet's biological future. The organisms that survived the freezing conditions likely became the ancestors of all modern animals.

This research not only provides a deeper understanding of Earth's climatic history but also sheds light on the origins of life, highlighting how extreme climate changes can drive evolutionary progress.