According to most scientific research there have been 3 snowball earth occurrences in Earth’s history. These snowball earth’s are named the Huronian, Sturtian and Marinoan glaciations. They were significant glaciations in Earth’s history, but they occurred at different times and had distinct characteristics.
When was Snowball Earth and what is the Snowball Earth Hypothesis?
There have been three known Snowball Earth events. They are named the Huronian, Sturtian, and Maronian Snowball Earth's.
The Huronian Snowball Earth glaciation occurred approximately 2.4 to 2.1 billion years ago during the Paleoproterozoic era. The cause was linked to the Great Oxygenation Event, which increased atmospheric oxygen and decreased methane, leading to global cooling. This is the first and most extensive ice age, with glaciers covering large parts of the planet, including equatorial regions. The geological evidence is found in the Huronian Supergroup, particularly in the Lake Huron region. The age of this glaciation makes it difficult to determine the extent, but it could have been a "slushball" or "snowball" earth.
The Sturtian Snowball Earth glaciation occurred approximately 720 to 660 million years ago during the Cryogenian period of the Neoproterozoic and is believed to have been triggered by a combination of factors. One of the primary causes was a significant reduction in volcanic carbon dioxide emissions. This reduction in CO₂, a greenhouse gas, led to a dramatic cooling of the Earth’s climate. There is evidence that this glaciation covered the entire planet from the poles to the equator. Geological evidence is found in various locations worldwide, including striations, tillites, and dropstones. Additionally, the erosion of a large volcanic province in what is now Canada played a crucial role. This erosion process consumed atmospheric CO₂, further contributing to the cooling effect.
The Maronian Snowball Earth glaciation began around 650 million years ago and ended approximately 635 million years ago. It is considered one of the most severe glaciations in Earth’s history. Evidence of this glaciation is found in various locations worldwide, including diamictites, dropstones, and glacial striations. The end of the Marinoan glaciation is thought to have been caused by volcanic activity, which released large amounts of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, leading to a greenhouse effect that warmed the planet. This glaciation likely created harsh conditions for life, but it also set the stage for significant evolutionary changes. The end of the Marinoan glaciation is closely followed by the Ediacaran period, which saw the emergence of complex multicellular life.
These glaciations are believed to have had a profound impact on the Earth's climate and the evolution of life, potentially setting the stage for the Cambrian explosion of complex multicellular organisms.
It is still unknown as to the exact mechanisms that led to the evolution of complex life. The first life, though, could have been lent an evolutionary hand by “stair step” environmental and geological processes that occurred with these extreme “snowball earth" occurrences.
In tandem with the varying oxygen levels, dynamic shifts in ocean and air jet stream patterns, or even a halt or combination of these processes could have lent a hand in evolution. The fascination with our planet’s early dynamics continues.
About this specimen: Cap carbonates have been figuring into the Snowball Earth theory since the '90s. These layered, laminated carbonate rocks are typically limestone or dolostone. Cap carbonates are found on top of tillites from glaciation and appear like a "cap" over them, hence the name. These remarkable rocks have been found worldwide coinciding with glacial intervals, which has helped them contribute to the Snowball Earth theory. This specimen was recovered in the glacial till from the Espanola Formation, a part of the Huronian Supergroup of Canada, and is dated from 2400 myr to 2100 myr, the Huronian glaciation. It is considered the most intense and oldest ice age and first "Snowball Earth."
Ships with information, tag, tag stand and Certificate of Authenticity. Acrylic base and cube are not included. Snowball Earth information is included. Photo cube and plexiglass base not included.
If you have been looking for an epic specimen from one of Earth's most extreme environments, you need not look any further. No other event depicts the extremes of climate change more than Snowball Earth. This is a unique opportunity to obtain a scarce and fascinating specimen from one of Earth's major geological events.
