717-million-year-old rocks in Scotland's west coast offer a reference point for Earth's first ice age ("snowball Earth").

Scientists have found unique rocks on the Garvellachs, off Scotland's west coast, that may serve as a reference point for Earth's first ice age, known as "snowball Earth," approximately 717 million years ago. This discovery, which includes sedimentary rocks containing dated zircons, could help establish a Global Boundary Stratotype Section and Point (GSSP) for the Cryogenian period, marking significant developments in complex life and multicellular organisms.

September 06, 2024
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