Saturday, December 21, 2019

Pondering the Precambrian #42

Proterozoic:

NeoProterozoic:

Changes to the carbon cycle and environment  were detected from the Ediacaran/Cambrian boundary in China.

Using boron to detect the salinity of the paleooceans gives some interesting twists.

Evolution of multiple basins from the Neoproterozoic are described.

Is there a biochemical signal dividing metazoan clades into two?

Did animal-like embryos predate actual metazoans (animals).

How NOT to become a metazoan.

A Cryogenian interglacial deposit has been found in China.

When did the Sturtian glaciation begin during the Cryogenian in South China?

Mesoproterozoic:

Where was South China in the Nuna/Columbia and Rodinia supercontinents during the Mesoproterozoic?

The Stenian Copper Harbor and Nonesuch Formations have a marine origin.

PaleoProterozoic:

Evidence of explosive basalt volcanism found from the paleoproterozoic.

In French Guiana, a gold rich Rhyacian Period formation has been found.  It contains sedimentary layers within the volcanic ones.  Are they fossiliferous?

After the Lomagundi-Jatuli Event, the carbon-sulfur cycle seemed to return to strong activity in the aftermath in the Rhyacian/Orosirian Periods.

Archean:

It appears during the GOE, the ocean basins remained anoxic.

Earth's magnetic field may have been in place during the Archean.

Evidence of subduction from the Late Archean comes from Australia.

The Kaapvaal Craton may be a remnant of the Pilbara Craton that split off in the MesoArchean.

Extraterrestrial impacts might have triggered bursts in plate tectonics.

Ancient microbes played an important role in warming the early Earth.

Hadean:

The impact history of Earth should NOT be correlated to other planets in the solar system.

Origin of Life:

There is a hyperacidic, hypersaline geothermal system in Dallol, Ethiopia that is lifeless and that has implications for the origin of life.

DNA is only one of several possible genetic information molecules.

Lifelike chemistry has been created in the lab.

Ribose and other sugars have been found in meteorites.

Some of the earliest animal fossils are possibly chemical 'gardens' that produce pseudofossils.

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