How ancient Scottish rocks throw ‘snowball Earth’ theory up in the air

Researchers from the University of Southampton have re-examined ancient rocks from Scotland's Garvellachs islands, which were deposited during the "snowball Earth" period approximately 700 million years ago. The team studied 2,600 preserved layers, known as varves, under a microscope and found that they recorded climate cycles similar to those seen today, such as solar cycles and El Niño oscillations. These findings suggest that rare periods of thawing occurred during the deep-freeze period, with a small fraction of ocean thawing for several thousand years. The researchers' analysis sheds light on Earth's sensitive climate system and provides insights into how it may respond to future disturbances. The study offers new perspectives on the "snowball Earth" theory and its implications for understanding the planet's climate history. The findings are published in the journal Earth and Planetary Science Letters.

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