Neoproterozoic Archives - Astrobiology

Cartoon for contributions of tectonics to Earth surficial system during Cambrian explosion Credit Jinlong Yao/ Northwest University, Yigui Han/ Northwest University, Donghai Zhang/ Northwest University, Qian Liu/ Northwest University, Long Chen/ Northwest University, Pengyuan Cui/ Northwest University, Guochun Zhao/ Northwest University & The University of Hong Kong

Biogeochemical Cycles & Geobiology

Material Cycling Across Earth’s Spheres And Triggers Of Cambrian Explosion: A Tectonic Perspective

by Keith CowingOctober 9, 2026October 9, 2026

[ELSP] A comprehensive model of the Cambrian explosion featuring “multi-factors coupling and multi-sphere driving”. Supercontinent breakup and mantle plume activity served as the initial trigger of environmental change in the […]

Snowball Earth -- Grok via Astrobiology.com

Analog Studies, Arctic / Antarctic / Alpine, Atmospheres, Climate, Weather, Biogeochemical Cycles & Geobiology, Habitable Zones, Icy Worlds, Press Release, Terraforming & Geoengineering, Water/Hycean Worlds & Oceanography

Subglacial Weathering May Have Slowed Earth’s Escape From Snowball Earth

by Keith CowingMarch 11, 2026March 11, 2026

A new study led by researchers at the Earth-Life Science Institute (ELSI) at Institute of Science Tokyo challenges a long-standing assumption about Earth’s most extreme ice ages. Using numerical geochemical […]

Adelaide Rift Complex -- Source, Sentinel EU

Biogeochemical Cycles & Geobiology, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Fossils & Paleontology, Microbiology & Virology, Press Release

Salt Diapirs As An Architect Of Neoproterozoic Stromatolite Platform Reefs

by Keith CowingJanuary 13, 2026January 13, 2026

During the Precambrian, stromatolite reefs played an essential role in the evolution of Earth’s climate and life systems. Many Precambrian basins contain salt-influenced stratigraphy, yet the potential for salt diapirism […]

(A) Predicted pO2 (red line) and (B) pCO2 (purple line) values are compared for a range of possible assumed pN2. Vertical dashed lines and colored bands reflect pN2 estimates for 1.44 Ga. from existing models (22–26). For O2, the green and yellow bands reflect the thresholds for early animal respiration and full O3 shielding, respectively (31, 32). The pO2 safely exceeds these thresholds (0.01 PAL) if pN2 exceeded 0.2 bar. For CO2, horizontal dashed lines reflect estimated CO2 contents necessary to achieve the specified temperature (33–35). The diagonal line extrapolates from Archean atmospheric models that account for the effect of total atmospheric pressure on the required CO2 to keep the planet warm (35). Based on these points, our data suggests modern-like climates were possible if pN2 exceeded 0.5 bar. -- PNAS

Astrogeology, Atmospheres, Climate, Weather, Biogeochemical Cycles & Geobiology, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Gaia - Planetary Perspectives, Status Report

Direct Constraints From 1.4 Ga Fluid Inclusions Reveal A Fair Climate And Oxygenated Atmosphere

by Keith CowingJanuary 8, 2026January 8, 2026

The Mesoproterozoic eon, often regarded as mundane and static, lays the foundation for dramatic transformations in Earth’s physical and biological evolution during the subsequent Neoproterozoic.

A total of 154 genomes were analysed to infer HGs and reconstruct ancestral states. Each bar chart represents one terrestrial event node and its three immediate ancestors. For each node, five categories of HGs are quantified: novel, novel core, expanded, contracted and lost. The y axis indicates the number of HGs in each category of each clade. Organism silhouettes (sourced from phylopic.org and the authors, released under public domain dedication (CC0 1.0 Universal)) represent 11 terrestrial events. -- Nature

Atmospheres, Climate, Weather, Biogeochemical Cycles & Geobiology, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Fossils & Paleontology, Genomics, Proteomics, Bioinformatics, Nomenclature, Systematics, Natural History, Origin & Evolution of Life, Press Release, Water/Hycean Worlds & Oceanography

How Did Earth’s Animal Life Transition From Aquatic To Terrestrial Environments?

by Keith CowingNovember 22, 2025November 22, 2025

The transition from aquatic to terrestrial life has been one of the most significant evolutionary challenges. This decisive process in the evolution of life on Earth required a profound renewal […]

Idealized ice growth and stratigraphy at onset of snowball Earth. Note vertical exaggeration.

Atmospheres, Climate, Weather, Biogeochemical Cycles & Geobiology, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Cryobiology, Habitable Zones, Icy Worlds, Mapping, Geodesy, Cartography, Bathymetry, Status Report, Water/Hycean Worlds & Oceanography

Four-million-year Marinoan Snowball Shows Multiple Routes To Deglaciation

by Keith CowingApril 22, 2025April 22, 2025

Twice during the Neoproterozoic Era, Earth experienced runaway ice-albedo catastrophes that resulted in multimillion year, low-latitude glaciations: the Sturtian and Marinoan snowball Earths.