Molecular fossils offer first glimpse of how life survived Snowball Earth.

  • Published In: Sciencemag.org, 2025. P. N.PAG 1 of 3

  • Database: Applied Science & Technology Source Ultimate 2 of 3

  • Authored By: Cutts, Elise 3 of 3

Abstract

The article focuses on recent scientific findings regarding microbial life during the Snowball Earth episodes, specifically between 651 million and 635 million years ago. Researchers presented evidence from ancient rock samples in Australia that reveal how microbes survived beneath frozen oceans, relying on organic material from above. The study highlights the absence of eukaryotic green algae during this period, suggesting that their proliferation occurred later, which may have influenced the evolution of complex animal life. The findings challenge previous assumptions about the timeline of algae and animal evolution, indicating that the rise of green algae may have coincided closely with the emergence of early animals. [Extracted from the article]

Additional Information

  • Source:Sciencemag.org. 2025/07, pN.PAG
  • Document Type:Article
  • Subject Area:Science
  • Publication Date:2025
  • Accession Number:186680275
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