Moontanman Posted September 11, 2009 Report Posted September 11, 2009 Ancient Oceans Offer New Insight Into Origins Of Animal LifeScienceDaily (Sep. 10, 2009) — Analysis of a rock type found only in the world's oldest oceans has shed new light on how large animals first got a foothold on Earth. Ancient Oceans Offer New Insight Into Origins Of Animal Life Quote
lemit Posted September 12, 2009 Report Posted September 12, 2009 I hope I'm wrong and just missed something obvious in the linked story. I've been very interested in the discussion of the possible involvement of mica in the development of all life, so I was very eager to see what type of rock was studied. I can't find it in the story. If I just missed it, thanks in advance for helping me find it. If it isn't there, I have some advice from Journalism 101: always make sure your story matches your lead. Again, thanks. Oh, also, I couldn't find the name Waldo in the story. If anybody can find that, I'd be thrilled. --lemit Quote
Moontanman Posted September 12, 2009 Author Report Posted September 12, 2009 Prepare to be thrilled lemit The chromium released by this weathering is then washed into the seas and deposited in the deepest oceans - trapped in "iron-rich rocks" on the sea bed. They were not talking about the beginning of life but the oxygenation of the atmosphere which allowed the rise of animal life. Quote
lemit Posted September 13, 2009 Report Posted September 13, 2009 Sorry. I wasn't thrilled. But I suppose I could be. Is there only one kind of iron-rich rock? That's the kind of specificity I was hoping for, like the mica theory. --lemit Quote
Moontanman Posted September 13, 2009 Author Report Posted September 13, 2009 The mica theory has to do with the origin of life, like the living clay or the trash bag theory. Personally I think the whole thing will come down to a synergy of several different things that started life. The idea in this article has to do with the beginning of complex life and the oxygenation of the oceans more than 2 billions years after the origin of life. Basically it just says the iron/oxygen rich rocks are indicative of rising atmospheric oxygen levels as cyano-bacteria became so numerous there excretion of oxygen over came all the reducing elements in the Earths atmosphere and allowed oxygen to begin to accumulate in the air and in the oceans. Quote
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