Supercontinent Breakup Paved The Way For Complex Life On Earth

Supercontinent Breakup Paved The Way For Complex Life On Earth

The breakup of an ancient supercontinent 1.5 billion years ago transformed Earth’s surface environments, paving the way for the emergence of complex life, according to a new study.

Ancient tectonic shifts cooled Earth and paved the way for complex life

For decades, geologists labeled a billion-year stretch of Earth’s history—from 1.8 to 0.8 billion years ago—as the “Boring Billion.” They assumed not much occurred during the time: mountain building slowed down, oxygen levels were low, and evolution slowed down. But a new study has flipped that understanding, and what they discovered was a planet gradually transforming beneath its peaceful façade. Far from boring, this period saw the reorganizat…

Earth's 'Boring Billion' Years Created The Conditions For Complex Life - Astrobiology

A study led by researchers from the University of Sydney and the University of Adelaide has revealed how the breakup of an ancient supercontinent 1.5 billion years ago transformed Earth’s surface environments, paving the way for the emergence of complex life. “Our approach shows how plate tectonics has helped shape the habitability of the Earth,” […] The post Earth’s ‘Boring Billion’ Years Created The Conditions For Complex Life appeared first o…