Tracing climate change through Brazil’s ancient rocks Brazil’s geological record offers a window into some of Earth’s most dramatic climate shifts. Rocks in the São Francisco Basin preserve evidence of “Snowball Earth” ice ages, when ice covered much of the planet, followed by periods of intense warming. Associate research scientist at the Illinois State Geological Survey, Franck Delpomdor, and colleagues at the Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais are studying carbonate rocks from the basin to reconstruct how these ancient environments changed. Their research examines the processes that ended widespread glaciation and the greenhouse conditions that followed. The findings suggest that dramatic climate shifts, tectonic changes that restricted shallow inland seas, and changing nutrient supplies helped shape the conditions for early life to diversify.
Read more about Franck’s research:
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