To STUDY - Technical - New Dacian's Medicine
The Birth and Evolution of the Earth
(Part II).
Translation Draft
Following the presentations from the previous post, it was time to present you with a kind of „logical structure” of the research … When Terra was an ocean of lava, it is „marked” / „delimited” by researchers as „Red Earth”, then, after cooling (the second, after the formation of the Moon), it is the period called „Black Earth” because the rocks that formed after cooling had the predominantly black color …
Returning to the presentation of the process, what should be remembered is that, from the moment of this last cooling, evidence of the age of the Earth and the earth began to be found (the age of the events presented above was „detected” with the help of asteroids and meteorites that „kept” the age, real due to the lack of meltdowns born from the catastrophic collision events).
The beginning of these discoveries is „due” to James Hutton considered to be the father of geology. He was also the first to challenge the age of only a few thousand years (only the 7,000 „biblical” years) of the Earth, an opinion „provided” by one of the religions (this is the Christian religion – Christian being myself and constantly stressing the existence and power of God, of a Divine Power – I emphasize this because I do not want to enter into controversy with anyone, but simply present the opinion that I think is good, timely, of any credible researchers). And, Hutton estimated, it takes many millions of years to complete the processes he discovered (especially sedimentation processes).
Therefore, continuing the descriptions of the „last” liquid state, this was „first described” by Lord Kelvin, an expert in thermodynamics, by direct deduction from volcanic phenomena. Thus, Kelvin assumed that the Earth was a liquid planet that cooled constantly and, using thermodynamics, calculated that the age of the planet is at least 20 million years (insert these calculations to notice the evolution to the current data).
But he did not know one of the basic thermal springs of our planet, the radioactivity gave by uranium, thorium, cesium, cobalt, and potassium which, through its activity, kept the Earth hot until today and will last long after them (” determining ”Kelvin’s serious calculation errors).
At the same time, these radioactive elements, which were abundantly in the proto-Earth structure, gave us precise details regarding the age of some rocks, with the help of the „half-life” characteristic of the radioactive elements (radioactive disintegration is a natural transformation of certain substances that consists of the transformation of their unstable atoms and nuclei into atoms with different physical and chemical properties than the initial ones, most of the radioactive elements being transformed into lead.
From a scientific point of view, this period is called „half-life”, the time needed for half of the initial quantity of the substance to transform. This process was initially used by Arthur Holmes, who, through his determinations of the age of the earth reached 4.5 billion years old on Earth, an age undisputed even today (by collecting data obtained from various rocks around the Earth, for the rest of his life) … From this moment we talk about the „ancient times” of the Earth.
And, going along the „line” of the discoveries of our geologists and our history, the first 100 million years (at least) after these events was the „Water World” period, the entire surface of the Earth being covered by water (at least 90%). The Earth was a vast ocean and this state attracted the name of the „Blue Earth” period.
Evidence in this regard lies the rocks discovered in southern Africa that have the characteristics that concluded the existence of the „Water World”, those of the lava that formed in the depths of the water, about 3.5 billion years ago (more, all the rocks of ancient 3.5 billion years discovered along Earth are volcanic rocks formed under deep water).
In this ocean began, slowly, slowly, to emerge the volcanoes that began to subtly increase the earth’s surface through the volcanic islands. The oceans of that period were full of iron giving an olive-green color to the entire surface of the planet (then Earth would not be called the „blue planet” but the green planet). Moreover, the huge CO2 blanket maintained immense pressures and, of course, immense temperatures (over 200 degrees Celsius, due to the greenhouse effect) and, along with the green of the water, gave a general red color to our planet („the red planet”). This hot, toxic ocean world has „been” for half a billion years.
But, this ocean favored the early evolution of life, very possible the emergence of structured extremophiles, which allowed the subsequent evolution of life for a period of at least 500 million years, during the so-called „chemical soup” period in which they formed the first unicellular organisms …
Proof of this is the formation called „stromatolites”, formed by single-celled organisms (colonies of these organisms), which are dated as having the „oldest” age of 3.5 billion years (without understanding that stromatolites). they did not evolve/existed subsequently).
A „working” detail of these stromatolites is that they used photosynthesis to break down carbon dioxide, release water and oxygen, and produce saccharides (glucose).
But dramatic changes are about to occur. Volcanic activity, under the existing conditions, created a new rock form, granite. And it was beginning to become more and more talkative about a granite world (3.4 billion years ago). This is why geologists call this period the „Gray Earth”.
Also in South Africa, the first continental forms of Earth’s existence survived, those of granite (granite, being a material lighter than volcanic basalt, the earth’s crust structure in a stratified form, with basalt below and granite above).
So, after 1 billion years of existence, the Earth began to function geologically according to current mechanisms. The Earth’s crust began to have the first cracks, like today’s large tectonic plates, but much smaller in size and, of course, much more numerical. In these areas of tectonic rupture, water invaded the magma below the earth’s crust, inducing the production of this new rock, granite.
And so began the process of forming continents with a geological structure as it is today, which has lasted another billion years (up to 2.5 billion years ago). Now it is said that the domination of the oceans is over (although nowadays only one-third of the surface of the planet is dry and two-thirds is water).
The creation of the first proto-continents in granite has led not only to change the appearance of the Earth. During this period, the first significant actions of life are recorded (but not life as we know it now or from the manuals on trilobites, dinosaurs, or others).
Now, life manifests itself only through the extremophiles (which had appeared long before but in these times benefited from the „support” of the continents for a massive „coverage”) which were acidophilic, basophilic, endolithic, thermophilic, etc. (bacteria and archean).
They are the first life forms on Earth and they have begun to „produce” the environment we know now, especially oxygen (which is said to come only and solely from the action of stromatolites).
Then came the algae with their photosynthesis … Stromatolites encountered in western Australia, in the Bay of Sharks, are evidence of their action (of extremophiles and algae) over the millennia. But, to remember, in these stromatolites, the action of the microscopic algae that „flourished” due to the oceanic coasts of that time, and which benefited from the effects of the tides since then, is „encountered”.
These stromatolites are small elevations that form layer by layer by the action of these living colonies (in a process similar to today’s coral formation). These stromatolites are also found in the geological layers formed at that time. They are declared the ancestors of every form of life on this Earth and are the ones who, through photosynthesis processes, created the atmosphere conducive to all subsequent life forms, an action that „sustained” it over the next 2 billion years.
And, not only that … The oxygen produced first dissolved in the existing oceans, almost completely oxidizing the iron deposits that existed here. Thus, the waters have „lost” the green color and have become the blue waters of today. Moreover, the atmosphere was slowly cleaned, slowly CO2, and saturated with oxygen (as a result of the metabolism determined by the „use” of photosynthesis), the Earth becoming the „Blue Planet”. The relics of those times are the huge sedimentary deposits of iron oxide that are being exploited today throughout the Earth as iron ore.
The time has come 1.5 billion years ago. The atmosphere was „full” of oxygen, the Earth was spinning slower, the days being longer (16 hours) … This is the time when the tectonic repositions of the small and multiple continents since then „hit it”.
It seems that, due to diffuse tectonics, major pressures of the mantle have been reached and a kind of concentrated action of the magmatic convection currents in it has been determined. And, where these convection currents encounter a crack, a new tectonic rupture occurs and new volcanoes appear.
Then there is what is nowadays called a „crack eruption” which is characterized by an eruption in length, like a lava wall stretched over vast distances (and not from a volcanic cone, as we are accustomed to). And thus, the plates are pushed into the so-known movement of continents today.
Why did the continents „bar her”?!? Because, in time (about 400 million years), they formed a unique continent, named by us „Rodinia” (the heart of this continent being Canada and America today), 1.1 billion years ago. At the end of these periods, the day lasted 18 hours and the „normal” temperatures of the atmosphere were around 80 degrees Celsius.
This continent was a desolate place, a desert in the true sense of the word, and there was no way of life here. And, now comes the major effect of this unique continent. In its tectonic movement, 750 – 700 million years ago, Rodinia „triggered” an increase in the activity of ocean currents that transport heat from the Equator to the poles, in addition to a huge increase in volcanic activity (which divided into two major continents). and thus, the „Great Freeze” started.
But, there was another process that favored this process … Climate change attracted by the new ocean currents attracted an increase in the volume of precipitation. The atmosphere still „held” a significant percentage of CO2 and, together with the massive presence of volcanic gases, massive rainfall resulted … Their effect on the Earth was represented by a massive „storage” of CO2 in the rocks and the decrease of this percentage below optimum of „greenhouse effect”, attracting the decrease of „thermal capture” and, consequently, the cooling of the atmosphere and the earth’s crust, to the „normal” level of minus 60 degrees Celsius.
This period is referred to as the „White Earth” or the period of the Snowball Earth. It is noteworthy that the ice sheet acted favoring cooling because it reflected even more solar radiation, eventually reaching, virtually, the entire solar radiation to be reflected …
So, throughout 50 (70) million years, the Earth has become an ice planet, a „white” planet completely covered by ice and snow. It is estimated that the entire surface of the Earth was covered by an ice crust of about 2 to 3 km, the ice „plates” on the ground level being much larger (thicker).
Most life forms have since disappeared, but not all. Given the long period of „lack of light,” it is quite obvious that photosynthesis was almost canceled, life continuing its evolution at the expense of extremophiles (and other unicellular forms) and algae.
And, after a while, the weight of the snow „mantle” attracted a kind of uneven burial of the earth’s crust, which attracted the appearance of pressure points and the breaking of the earth’s crust with the appearance of supervolcanoes. They determined a kind of acceleration of the tectonic plate movement and the supercontinent Rodinia began to split into several separate, separate tectonic plates.
Also, CO2 emitted by super-eruptions (billions of tons) increased the greenhouse effect and the Earth began to thaw slowly, 630 million years ago. The phenomenon was further amplified by the fact that the ice blanket did not allow „absorption” of CO2 and, thus, the entire amount resulting from the eruptions contributed to the greenhouse effect.
Then, the retraction of the huge ice sheet has led to the emergence of new points of rupture of the earth’s crust (by releasing its weight) and the appearance of even more volcanoes … Which, through the processes of „extreme thermal contact”, have led to the further decomposition of water, releasing even more oxygen (including the processes of hydrogen peroxide formation – oxygenated water, under the massive action of ultraviolet rays which, with the melting of the ice cap, attracted the release of huge amounts of oxygen).
The trial „lasted”, up to 550 (600) million years ago, and Rodinia separated on the continents that allowed Earth to escape the threat of ice. The day was 22 hours ago, the ocean currents reappeared, the temperatures were similar to today, everything stabilized and the history of life began as most of us know, with the beginning of the explosion of life in the so-called „Cambrian Explosion”.
Now the oceans have truly become the „cradle of life” … Algae have „quickly” passed photosynthesis processes and the multicellular life forms represented especially by worms (some of them also presenting armor), sponges, and corals have multiplied. „Intensified the presence”. Thus, what appeared to be a ruin for life, proved to be an environment in which life continued its evolution without any problem.
At this moment it seems that life has encompassed everything in an amazing variety of forms, especially at the aquatic level (the land being, of course, almost unpopular). It is stated that at that time there were as many species as all the number of species that followed at all times. The high level of oxygen in the oceans that triggered this explosion of life will bring about a change in the atmosphere.
For the next 100 million years, the oxygen level reaches that of today and allows the formation of the ozone layer which will be an additional barrier for solar radiation. Decreasing the aggression of radiation (which effectively sterilizes the surface of the water, thus the dry land) will attract the „climb” of life on land (400 million years ago).
This was possible because the worm-like life forms with armor were the ones that developed some sort of incipient spine (the precursor worms of Pikaia gracilens) and the first skulls (the skulls, of which the Haikouichthys group stands out) … But all at their time …
It should also be mentioned that, 460 million years ago, the earth „significantly” moved, giving birth to a new continent, Gondwana. Now the temperatures on the continent record maximums of only 90 degrees celsius, the oxygen is present in the current proportions and the earth is still „barren”.
This is because the ozone blanket did not have the minimum thickness required for solar radiation to not harm life on land. But, up to 370 million years ago, this blanket reaches optimal protection dimensions and the explosion of life on land can no longer be stopped.
From this moment, the algae start slowly, easily populating the shores of the oceans, and evolves into the future carboniferous plants. As a result of this evolution, they release more and more oxygen into the atmosphere, allowing other evolutions of life … Also now, Pikaia and her „relatives” are among the first fish of the ocean … From here the fish begin to be present in the seas, oceans, lakes, etc., slowly, slowly, along with other living beings, the current oil reserves.
Then, in just 10 million years (360 million years ago), the first „coastal” fish, such as Tiktaalik and others, become the first (amphibian) therapies, in a true explosion of the land population.
Another important occurrence is the presence of insects, arthropods, etc., which seem to have evolved also through the gradual (adaptation) passage from the aquatic environment to the terrestrial one. It is worth remembering that, due to the much higher oxygen content in the atmosphere, it is a period of gigantic insects, a dragonfly the size of an eagle, a scorpion the size of a wolf, and so on.
There would be a significant detail related to the evolution of the plants represented by the evolution/adaptation of their form of propagation through the spores that becomes propagation through the seeds.
Thus, only in 50 – 60 million years (up to 300 million years ago), plants completely populate the Earth’s surface, becoming a tropical swamp world. It is the period called „Carboniferous”. It is the world of tropical forests that will last for the next 60 million years.
The proof of their presence is found anywhere on the earth in the form of coal deposits. Most of the oil and gas deposits on Earth have also been clearly defined. It was a period of cleaning up the carbon and storing it in the depths of the earth. Now the first complete biosphere form has been formed.
This is also the moment when the first ancestors of reptiles (Hylonomus Iyelli) appear on the Earth’s surface and no longer lay eggs in water, like fish and amphibians and begin to „lay” eggs on the ground.
There followed a huge volcanic eruption, in the current area of Siberia, which lasted continuously for 1 million years, and which produced a true mass extinction (Permian extinction), 250 million years ago.
Toxic gas clouds spread throughout the earth, taking sunlight with volcanic ash clouds, but also increasing CO2 and CH4 levels (methane gas – which has a much more dramatic effect on CO2) that attracted overheating. atmospheric (estimated to have a temperature of 100 degrees celsius), producing the disappearance of over 95% of existing life forms, acid rains destroyed almost everything on land, ocean waters became pink due to the proliferation of pink algae
But then, a new supercontinent was formed, called „Pangaea”. But the climate has changed slowly, slowly until 240 million years ago, becoming conducive to life. The temperature has normalized, the vegetation has regained the Earth and life has evolved.
Now is the time for the largest living dinosaurs to exist (apparently, they had these dimensions as well because of the very high oxygen content that existed in the atmosphere, allowing slight oxygenation of large organisms, coupled with an abundance of food sources). ).
And, 180 – 190 million years ago, the great supercontinent was „broken” by volcanic activity, forming the great Tetis, beginning with the delimitation of continents that have „moved” to those we know today. The volcanoes have continued their activity and it seems that there has been a marked phenomenon of global warming, CO2 levels rising to over 40% of the composition of the atmosphere „maintaining” the development of tropical forests. Proof of massive volcanic activity, especially 100 million years ago, is the diamond deposits existing on Earth.
A new explosion of all the splendor of life in all its forms, all forms of life developing regardless of the domination of the Saurians …
Here comes the moment of 65 million years ago, that of the famous impact with the asteroid that completely unbalanced the ecosystem of that time and which extinguished the „spike” of the dinosaurs (but also 75% of all life forms since then). The proof of these events lies in the geological layers (called, therefore, „tombstones”) that are „filled” with a rare element on Earth, iridium, which is very common in asteroids/meteors (rocks that come from space).
At this geological layer „a crater” of almost 200 km near Mexico, dating from that period, attesting the impact with a meteorite of almost 10 kilometers in diameter (like an Everest mountain) is joined. This impact was added a huge increase in volcanic activity and, thus, this extinction manifested its „power”.
But for 50 million years now, life has slowly recovered. This is the time of the mammals … and the world of humans. The continents have shifted to the current „form” … And, 2 million years ago, people’s ancestors appeared. And, also now the glaciers have appeared. These are an effect of uniting the continents of North America with South America through the Isthmus of Panama. This union attracted the disruption of ocean currents in that transit area and thus attracted the climatic phenomena of glaciation.
And, the last 10,000 years belong to us …
Conclusions?!?
Earth, as we now know it, can provide us with new disasters, new extinctions … It is a planet like any other, subject even to „external” disasters (as you will see in the following posts) … But, every time, life has gone further, even with major changes … Yes, Terra sees her work regardless of the forms of life on it, taking it always and always from the beginning …
That’s a conclusion too, isn’t it?!?
Bibliography: What I know about „places” that I can no longer remember to locate (and present here) and: 1. Discovery Science – „How The Universe Work” / „How the Universe Works”, season 2, episode 8 – „Birth of the Earth”, „History of the Earth”, „History of the Earth”, „History of the Earth”, „How the Earth was made”.
Love, Gratitude, and Understanding!
Following the presentations from the previous post, it was time to present you with a kind of „logical structure” of the research … When Terra was an ocean of lava, it is „marked” / „delimited” by researchers as „Red Earth”, then, after cooling (the second, after the formation of the Moon), it is the period called „Black Earth” because the rocks that formed after cooling had the predominantly black color …
Returning to the presentation of the process, what should be remembered is that, from the moment of this last cooling, evidence of the age of the Earth and the earth began to be found (the age of the events presented above was „detected” with the help of asteroids and meteorites that „kept” the age, real due to the lack of meltdowns born from the catastrophic collision events).
The beginning of these discoveries is „due” to James Hutton considered to be the father of geology. He was also the first to challenge the age of only a few thousand years (only the 7,000 „biblical” years) of the Earth, an opinion „provided” by one of the religions (this is the Christian religion – Christian being myself and constantly stressing the existence and power of God, of a Divine Power – I emphasize this because I do not want to enter into controversy with anyone, but simply present the opinion that I think is good, timely, of any credible researchers). And, Hutton estimated, it takes many millions of years to complete the processes he discovered (especially sedimentation processes).
Therefore, continuing the descriptions of the „last” liquid state, this was „first described” by Lord Kelvin, an expert in thermodynamics, by direct deduction from volcanic phenomena. Thus, Kelvin assumed that the Earth was a liquid planet that cooled constantly and, using thermodynamics, calculated that the age of the planet is at least 20 million years (insert these calculations to notice the evolution to the current data).
But he did not know one of the basic thermal springs of our planet, the radioactivity gave by uranium, thorium, cesium, cobalt, and potassium which, through its activity, kept the Earth hot until today and will last long after them (” determining ”Kelvin’s serious calculation errors).
At the same time, these radioactive elements, which were abundantly in the proto-Earth structure, gave us precise details regarding the age of some rocks, with the help of the „half-life” characteristic of the radioactive elements (radioactive disintegration is a natural transformation of certain substances that consists of the transformation of their unstable atoms and nuclei into atoms with different physical and chemical properties than the initial ones, most of the radioactive elements being transformed into lead.
From a scientific point of view, this period is called „half-life”, the time needed for half of the initial quantity of the substance to transform. This process was initially used by Arthur Holmes, who, through his determinations of the age of the earth reached 4.5 billion years old on Earth, an age undisputed even today (by collecting data obtained from various rocks around the Earth, for the rest of his life) … From this moment we talk about the „ancient times” of the Earth.
And, going along the „line” of the discoveries of our geologists and our history, the first 100 million years (at least) after these events was the „Water World” period, the entire surface of the Earth being covered by water (at least 90%). The Earth was a vast ocean and this state attracted the name of the „Blue Earth” period.
Evidence in this regard lies the rocks discovered in southern Africa that have the characteristics that concluded the existence of the „Water World”, those of the lava that formed in the depths of the water, about 3.5 billion years ago (more, all the rocks of ancient 3.5 billion years discovered along Earth are volcanic rocks formed under deep water).
In this ocean began, slowly, slowly, to emerge the volcanoes that began to subtly increase the earth’s surface through the volcanic islands. The oceans of that period were full of iron giving an olive-green color to the entire surface of the planet (then Earth would not be called the „blue planet” but the green planet). Moreover, the huge CO2 blanket maintained immense pressures and, of course, immense temperatures (over 200 degrees Celsius, due to the greenhouse effect) and, along with the green of the water, gave a general red color to our planet („the red planet”). This hot, toxic ocean world has „been” for half a billion years.
But, this ocean favored the early evolution of life, very possible the emergence of structured extremophiles, which allowed the subsequent evolution of life for a period of at least 500 million years, during the so-called „chemical soup” period in which they formed the first unicellular organisms …
Proof of this is the formation called „stromatolites”, formed by single-celled organisms (colonies of these organisms), which are dated as having the „oldest” age of 3.5 billion years (without understanding that stromatolites). they did not evolve/existed subsequently).
A „working” detail of these stromatolites is that they used photosynthesis to break down carbon dioxide, release water and oxygen, and produce saccharides (glucose).
But dramatic changes are about to occur. Volcanic activity, under the existing conditions, created a new rock form, granite. And it was beginning to become more and more talkative about a granite world (3.4 billion years ago). This is why geologists call this period the „Gray Earth”.
Also in South Africa, the first continental forms of Earth’s existence survived, those of granite (granite, being a material lighter than volcanic basalt, the earth’s crust structure in a stratified form, with basalt below and granite above).
So, after 1 billion years of existence, the Earth began to function geologically according to current mechanisms. The Earth’s crust began to have the first cracks, like today’s large tectonic plates, but much smaller in size and, of course, much more numerical. In these areas of tectonic rupture, water invaded the magma below the earth’s crust, inducing the production of this new rock, granite.
And so began the process of forming continents with a geological structure as it is today, which has lasted another billion years (up to 2.5 billion years ago). Now it is said that the domination of the oceans is over (although nowadays only one-third of the surface of the planet is dry and two-thirds is water).
The creation of the first proto-continents in granite has led not only to change the appearance of the Earth. During this period, the first significant actions of life are recorded (but not life as we know it now or from the manuals on trilobites, dinosaurs, or others).
Now, life manifests itself only through the extremophiles (which had appeared long before but in these times benefited from the „support” of the continents for a massive „coverage”) which were acidophilic, basophilic, endolithic, thermophilic, etc. (bacteria and archean).
They are the first life forms on Earth and they have begun to „produce” the environment we know now, especially oxygen (which is said to come only and solely from the action of stromatolites).
Then came the algae with their photosynthesis … Stromatolites encountered in western Australia, in the Bay of Sharks, are evidence of their action (of extremophiles and algae) over the millennia. But, to remember, in these stromatolites, the action of the microscopic algae that „flourished” due to the oceanic coasts of that time, and which benefited from the effects of the tides since then, is „encountered”.
These stromatolites are small elevations that form layer by layer by the action of these living colonies (in a process similar to today’s coral formation). These stromatolites are also found in the geological layers formed at that time. They are declared the ancestors of every form of life on this Earth and are the ones who, through photosynthesis processes, created the atmosphere conducive to all subsequent life forms, an action that „sustained” it over the next 2 billion years.
And, not only that … The oxygen produced first dissolved in the existing oceans, almost completely oxidizing the iron deposits that existed here. Thus, the waters have „lost” the green color and have become the blue waters of today. Moreover, the atmosphere was slowly cleaned, slowly CO2, and saturated with oxygen (as a result of the metabolism determined by the „use” of photosynthesis), the Earth becoming the „Blue Planet”. The relics of those times are the huge sedimentary deposits of iron oxide that are being exploited today throughout the Earth as iron ore.
The time has come 1.5 billion years ago. The atmosphere was „full” of oxygen, the Earth was spinning slower, the days being longer (16 hours) … This is the time when the tectonic repositions of the small and multiple continents since then „hit it”.
It seems that, due to diffuse tectonics, major pressures of the mantle have been reached and a kind of concentrated action of the magmatic convection currents in it has been determined. And, where these convection currents encounter a crack, a new tectonic rupture occurs and new volcanoes appear.
Then there is what is nowadays called a „crack eruption” which is characterized by an eruption in length, like a lava wall stretched over vast distances (and not from a volcanic cone, as we are accustomed to). And thus, the plates are pushed into the so-known movement of continents today.
Why did the continents „bar her”?!? Because, in time (about 400 million years), they formed a unique continent, named by us „Rodinia” (the heart of this continent being Canada and America today), 1.1 billion years ago. At the end of these periods, the day lasted 18 hours and the „normal” temperatures of the atmosphere were around 80 degrees Celsius.
This continent was a desolate place, a desert in the true sense of the word, and there was no way of life here. And, now comes the major effect of this unique continent. In its tectonic movement, 750 – 700 million years ago, Rodinia „triggered” an increase in the activity of ocean currents that transport heat from the Equator to the poles, in addition to a huge increase in volcanic activity (which divided into two major continents). and thus, the „Great Freeze” started.
But, there was another process that favored this process … Climate change attracted by the new ocean currents attracted an increase in the volume of precipitation. The atmosphere still „held” a significant percentage of CO2 and, together with the massive presence of volcanic gases, massive rainfall resulted … Their effect on the Earth was represented by a massive „storage” of CO2 in the rocks and the decrease of this percentage below optimum of „greenhouse effect”, attracting the decrease of „thermal capture” and, consequently, the cooling of the atmosphere and the earth’s crust, to the „normal” level of minus 60 degrees Celsius.
This period is referred to as the „White Earth” or the period of the Snowball Earth. It is noteworthy that the ice sheet acted favoring cooling because it reflected even more solar radiation, eventually reaching, virtually, the entire solar radiation to be reflected …
So, throughout 50 (70) million years, the Earth has become an ice planet, a „white” planet completely covered by ice and snow. It is estimated that the entire surface of the Earth was covered by an ice crust of about 2 to 3 km, the ice „plates” on the ground level being much larger (thicker).
Most life forms have since disappeared, but not all. Given the long period of „lack of light,” it is quite obvious that photosynthesis was almost canceled, life continuing its evolution at the expense of extremophiles (and other unicellular forms) and algae.
And, after a while, the weight of the snow „mantle” attracted a kind of uneven burial of the earth’s crust, which attracted the appearance of pressure points and the breaking of the earth’s crust with the appearance of supervolcanoes. They determined a kind of acceleration of the tectonic plate movement and the supercontinent Rodinia began to split into several separate, separate tectonic plates.
Also, CO2 emitted by super-eruptions (billions of tons) increased the greenhouse effect and the Earth began to thaw slowly, 630 million years ago. The phenomenon was further amplified by the fact that the ice blanket did not allow „absorption” of CO2 and, thus, the entire amount resulting from the eruptions contributed to the greenhouse effect.
Then, the retraction of the huge ice sheet has led to the emergence of new points of rupture of the earth’s crust (by releasing its weight) and the appearance of even more volcanoes … Which, through the processes of „extreme thermal contact”, have led to the further decomposition of water, releasing even more oxygen (including the processes of hydrogen peroxide formation – oxygenated water, under the massive action of ultraviolet rays which, with the melting of the ice cap, attracted the release of huge amounts of oxygen).
The trial „lasted”, up to 550 (600) million years ago, and Rodinia separated on the continents that allowed Earth to escape the threat of ice. The day was 22 hours ago, the ocean currents reappeared, the temperatures were similar to today, everything stabilized and the history of life began as most of us know, with the beginning of the explosion of life in the so-called „Cambrian Explosion”.
Now the oceans have truly become the „cradle of life” … Algae have „quickly” passed photosynthesis processes and the multicellular life forms represented especially by worms (some of them also presenting armor), sponges, and corals have multiplied. „Intensified the presence”. Thus, what appeared to be a ruin for life, proved to be an environment in which life continued its evolution without any problem.
At this moment it seems that life has encompassed everything in an amazing variety of forms, especially at the aquatic level (the land being, of course, almost unpopular). It is stated that at that time there were as many species as all the number of species that followed at all times. The high level of oxygen in the oceans that triggered this explosion of life will bring about a change in the atmosphere.
For the next 100 million years, the oxygen level reaches that of today and allows the formation of the ozone layer which will be an additional barrier for solar radiation. Decreasing the aggression of radiation (which effectively sterilizes the surface of the water, thus the dry land) will attract the „climb” of life on land (400 million years ago).
This was possible because the worm-like life forms with armor were the ones that developed some sort of incipient spine (the precursor worms of Pikaia gracilens) and the first skulls (the skulls, of which the Haikouichthys group stands out) … But all at their time …
It should also be mentioned that, 460 million years ago, the earth „significantly” moved, giving birth to a new continent, Gondwana. Now the temperatures on the continent record maximums of only 90 degrees celsius, the oxygen is present in the current proportions and the earth is still „barren”.
This is because the ozone blanket did not have the minimum thickness required for solar radiation to not harm life on land. But, up to 370 million years ago, this blanket reaches optimal protection dimensions and the explosion of life on land can no longer be stopped.
From this moment, the algae start slowly, easily populating the shores of the oceans, and evolves into the future carboniferous plants. As a result of this evolution, they release more and more oxygen into the atmosphere, allowing other evolutions of life … Also now, Pikaia and her „relatives” are among the first fish of the ocean … From here the fish begin to be present in the seas, oceans, lakes, etc., slowly, slowly, along with other living beings, the current oil reserves.
Then, in just 10 million years (360 million years ago), the first „coastal” fish, such as Tiktaalik and others, become the first (amphibian) therapies, in a true explosion of the land population.
Another important occurrence is the presence of insects, arthropods, etc., which seem to have evolved also through the gradual (adaptation) passage from the aquatic environment to the terrestrial one. It is worth remembering that, due to the much higher oxygen content in the atmosphere, it is a period of gigantic insects, a dragonfly the size of an eagle, a scorpion the size of a wolf, and so on.
There would be a significant detail related to the evolution of the plants represented by the evolution/adaptation of their form of propagation through the spores that becomes propagation through the seeds.
Thus, only in 50 – 60 million years (up to 300 million years ago), plants completely populate the Earth’s surface, becoming a tropical swamp world. It is the period called „Carboniferous”. It is the world of tropical forests that will last for the next 60 million years.
The proof of their presence is found anywhere on the earth in the form of coal deposits. Most of the oil and gas deposits on Earth have also been clearly defined. It was a period of cleaning up the carbon and storing it in the depths of the earth. Now the first complete biosphere form has been formed.
This is also the moment when the first ancestors of reptiles (Hylonomus Iyelli) appear on the Earth’s surface and no longer lay eggs in water, like fish and amphibians and begin to „lay” eggs on the ground.
There followed a huge volcanic eruption, in the current area of Siberia, which lasted continuously for 1 million years, and which produced a true mass extinction (Permian extinction), 250 million years ago.
Toxic gas clouds spread throughout the earth, taking sunlight with volcanic ash clouds, but also increasing CO2 and CH4 levels (methane gas – which has a much more dramatic effect on CO2) that attracted overheating. atmospheric (estimated to have a temperature of 100 degrees celsius), producing the disappearance of over 95% of existing life forms, acid rains destroyed almost everything on land, ocean waters became pink due to the proliferation of pink algae
But then, a new supercontinent was formed, called „Pangaea”. But the climate has changed slowly, slowly until 240 million years ago, becoming conducive to life. The temperature has normalized, the vegetation has regained the Earth and life has evolved.
Now is the time for the largest living dinosaurs to exist (apparently, they had these dimensions as well because of the very high oxygen content that existed in the atmosphere, allowing slight oxygenation of large organisms, coupled with an abundance of food sources). ).
And, 180 – 190 million years ago, the great supercontinent was „broken” by volcanic activity, forming the great Tetis, beginning with the delimitation of continents that have „moved” to those we know today. The volcanoes have continued their activity and it seems that there has been a marked phenomenon of global warming, CO2 levels rising to over 40% of the composition of the atmosphere „maintaining” the development of tropical forests. Proof of massive volcanic activity, especially 100 million years ago, is the diamond deposits existing on Earth.
A new explosion of all the splendor of life in all its forms, all forms of life developing regardless of the domination of the Saurians …
Here comes the moment of 65 million years ago, that of the famous impact with the asteroid that completely unbalanced the ecosystem of that time and which extinguished the „spike” of the dinosaurs (but also 75% of all life forms since then). The proof of these events lies in the geological layers (called, therefore, „tombstones”) that are „filled” with a rare element on Earth, iridium, which is very common in asteroids/meteors (rocks that come from space).
At this geological layer „a crater” of almost 200 km near Mexico, dating from that period, attesting the impact with a meteorite of almost 10 kilometers in diameter (like an Everest mountain) is joined. This impact was added a huge increase in volcanic activity and, thus, this extinction manifested its „power”.
But for 50 million years now, life has slowly recovered. This is the time of the mammals … and the world of humans. The continents have shifted to the current „form” … And, 2 million years ago, people’s ancestors appeared. And, also now the glaciers have appeared. These are an effect of uniting the continents of North America with South America through the Isthmus of Panama. This union attracted the disruption of ocean currents in that transit area and thus attracted the climatic phenomena of glaciation.
And, the last 10,000 years belong to us …
Conclusions?!?
Earth, as we now know it, can provide us with new disasters, new extinctions … It is a planet like any other, subject even to „external” disasters (as you will see in the following posts) … But, every time, life has gone further, even with major changes … Yes, Terra sees her work regardless of the forms of life on it, taking it always and always from the beginning …
That’s a conclusion too, isn’t it?!?
Bibliography: What I know about „places” that I can no longer remember to locate (and present here) and: 1. Discovery Science – „How The Universe Work” / „How the Universe Works”, season 2, episode 8 – „Birth of the Earth”, „History of the Earth”, „History of the Earth”, „History of the Earth”, „How the Earth was made”.
Love, Gratitude, and Understanding!
Dorin, Merticaru