2023-08-06 07:03:56
A team of scientists from the Indian Institute of Science and the University of Niigata, Japan, has made a find in the western Himalayas that might reveal crucial information regarding historical events on Earth. They discovered a ‘time capsule’ made up of water droplets trapped in mineral deposits dating back approximately 600 million years.
This ‘time capsule’ is the result of the global glaciation known as ‘Snowball Earth’, which occurred between 700 and 500 million years ago, covering the planet with thick sheets of ice. After this ice age, the second great oxygenation event occurred, which led to a significant increase in oxygen in the Earth’s atmosphere and allowed the development of more complex life forms, known as the ‘Cambrian Explosion’ or ‘Cambrian Explosion’.
Analysis of crystalline magnesite deposits revealed that during ‘Snowball Earth’, sedimentary basins lacked calcium due to lack of river flow. This situation favored the appearance of slow-growing photosynthetic cyanobacteria. As the magnesite deposits crystallized, they trapped drops of seawater and fresh water from melting ice, thus forming the ‘time capsule’ with relevant information regarding the past of the oceans.
The scientists also speculate that the magnesium concentration in these deposits might have stimulated a positive feedback mechanism, leading to increased photosynthetic oxygen production. This might have been the trigger for the Neoproterozoic oxygenation event, which in turn contributed to the emergence of the ‘Cambrian Explosion’ and the diversification of life on Earth.
This exciting discovery provides valuable clues regarding the evolution of the oceans and life on our planet in remote periods. Furthermore, the data obtained might be useful for climate modeling and to better understand Earth’s past climate in relation to current and future conditions. Undoubtedly, this finding represents a significant advance in our understanding of the history of the Earth and its development over time.
other time capsules
Boston, 1795
The capsule appeared in the city’s Capitol and was hidden for almost 220 years by two heroes of American Independence: Samuel Adams and Paul Revere. A group of workers from Boston were the ones who found the container.
A group of workers has found in Boston, United States, a time capsule hidden in the city’s Capitol by two heroes of American Independence almost 220 years ago.
A museum restorer has managed to carve the stone in which the capsule was found following several hours of meticulous work. Finally, this historical piece has been escorted by the State Police to the Boston Museum of Fine Arts, where it has been studied by experts and will undergo X-rays in an effort to reveal its content.
Virginia, 1887
The time capsule appeared in a statue of American Confederate General Robert E. Lee was being demolished. Those who found it were the workers, who were throwing the statue away when they glimpsed it in a container in Richmond (Virginia).
Julie Langan, spokeswoman for the Virginia Department of Historical Resources, has assured that we are facing a ‘time capsule’.
The capsule, which was taken to the conservation laboratory of the Department of Historical Resources, contained objects in a wet state and in better condition than expected.
French Pyrenees, late 19th century
A multidisciplinary team of archaeologists and historians belonging to Descartes University in Paris and The Explorers Club NYC have found a time capsule related to Jules Verne. Investigators found a metal box from the late 19th century buried near the French Pyrenees, in the Occitania region.
The investigation, which began thanks to the meticulous study of passages and works by Jules Verne, and especially the analysis in the tomb of the famous writer, has managed to reveal documents, books and metallic objects of different sizes and shapes.
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