Thursday 5 December 2019

How Life Survived Snowball Earth

How Life Survived Snowball Earth

THIS ARTICLE in the New York Times, based on THIS ARTICLE in a scientific journal (subscription required), describes research which found that some areas beneath the ice, separated from the atmosphere, had sufficient oxygen to sustain life. These areas were near the shoreline, land against sea ice.

The researchers reckon that glacial meltwater, running into the sub-ice oceans carried oxygen in sufficient quantity to let aerobic life to survive.

The articles describe the research which led to this conclusion, in much more detail than I give and the N Y Times article is very easy to read.

Credit...Chris Butler/Science Source

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