Snowball Earth: Global Freeze and Life’s Great Leap

The provided text explores the Snowball Earth hypothesis, a theory suggesting that the Earth experienced extreme glaciations during the Cryogenian Period, roughly 720 to 635 million years ago. It examines the geological and atmospheric conditions that likely triggered these events, such as the position of the supercontinent Rodinia and changes in greenhouse gases. The text details the compelling evidence supporting the hypothesis, including glacial deposits found at paleo-equatorial latitudes and the reappearance of Banded Iron Formations, while also addressing the "hard Snowball" versus "Slushball" debate regarding the extent of ice cover. Ultimately, the source concludes by discussing how these severe ice ages served as a powerful evolutionary crucible, potentially driving the emergence of complex multicellular life and setting the stage for the Cambrian Explosion due to the unique environmental pressures and post-glacial conditions.

Research done with the help of artificial intelligence, and presented by two AI-generated hosts.