New evidence supports 'Snowball Earth' as trigger for early animal evolution

A team of scientists has found new evidence linking "Snowball Earth" glacial events to the rise of early animals: marine phosphorus. The researchers tracked phosphorus concentrations through Earth's history and found a pronounced spike in marine phosphorus levels in the mid-Neoproterozoic. They say phosphorus, which is essential for life, led to a spike in oxygen production via photosynthesis, facilitating the emergence of complex life on Earth.

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