A team of researchers at ETH Zurich has uncovered surprising insights into the Earth’s ancient oceans. They studied tiny egg-shaped stones called ooids, which preserve carbon within their layered structure. The scientists can now estimate how much organic carbon the oceans held over a billion years ago.
What are Ooids?
Ooids act as microscopic time capsules that preserve chemical snapshots of the oceans as they were billions of years ago. By analysing the layers in detail, scientists can track changes in carbon levels over time. This helps researchers study ancient climates, ocean chemistry, and the conditions that shaped early life on Earth.
Much Less Carbon Than Expected
The results challenge long-standing assumptions. Between 1,000 and 541 million years ago, the oceans contained 90–99 per cent less dissolved organic carbon than previously believed. This suggests that ancient oceans were far less effective at storing carbon, reshaping our understanding of the planet’s early carbon cycle.
Rethinking Life’s Timeline
Lower carbon levels may have influenced the rise of complex life and the oxygenation of the atmosphere. Researchers suggest that larger organisms sank faster to the seafloor, reducing the ocean’s carbon reservoir and showing that the evolution of life and ocean chemistry were deeply intertwined.
The study also offers a modern warning. Human-driven changes, such as ocean warming and pollution which impact marine oxygen levels and carbon storage. Understanding the past is therefore crucial to predicting and managing the oceans’ future health.
Discover the latest Business News, Sensex, and Nifty updates. Obtain Personal Finance insights, tax queries, and expert opinions on Moneycontrol or download the Moneycontrol App to stay updated!
