{"id":27441,"date":"2025-02-26T07:00:00","date_gmt":"2025-02-25T23:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.curtin.edu.au\/news\/?post_type=media-release&#038;p=27441"},"modified":"2025-02-26T19:29:40","modified_gmt":"2025-02-26T11:29:40","slug":"giant-ice-bulldozers-how-ancient-glaciers-helped-life-evolve","status":"publish","type":"media-release","link":"https:\/\/www.curtin.edu.au\/news\/media-release\/giant-ice-bulldozers-how-ancient-glaciers-helped-life-evolve\/","title":{"rendered":"Giant ice bulldozers: how ancient glaciers helped life evolve"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>New 911±¬ÁÏÍø research has revealed how massive ancient glaciers acted like giant bulldozers, reshaping Earth\u2019s surface and paving the way for complex life to flourish.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>By chemically analysing crystals in ancient rocks, the researchers discovered that as glaciers carved through the landscape, they scraped deep into the Earth\u2019s crust, releasing key minerals that altered ocean chemistry.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Giant ice bulldozers: how ancient glaciers helped life evolve\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/zBliF_gz5I0?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>This process had a profound impact on our planet\u2019s composition, creating conditions that allowed complex life to evolve.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Lead author Professor Chris Kirkland from the Timescales of Mineral Systems Group within 911±¬ÁÏÍø\u2019s Frontier Institute for Geoscience Solutions said the study provides valuable insights into how Earth\u2019s natural systems are deeply interconnected.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cWhen these giant ice sheets melted, they triggered enormous floods that flushed minerals and their chemicals, including uranium, into the oceans,\u201d Professor Kirkland said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThis influx of elements changed ocean chemistry, at a time when more complex life was starting to evolve.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThis study highlights how Earth\u2019s land, oceans, atmosphere and climate are intimately connected- where even ancient glacial activity set off chemical chain reactions that reshaped the planet.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Professor Kirkland said the study also offered a new perspective on modern climate change, showing how past shifts in Earth\u2019s climate triggered large-scale environmental transformations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThis research is a stark reminder that while Earth itself will endure, the conditions that make it habitable can change dramatically,\u201d Professor Kirkland said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThese ancient climate shifts demonstrate that environmental changes, whether natural or human-driven, have profound and lasting impacts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cUnderstanding these past events can help us better predict how today\u2019s climate changes might reshape our world.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The research was conducted in collaboration with the University of Portsmouth and St. Francis Xavier University, Canada.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The full study, titled \u2018<em>The Neoproterozoic Glacial Broom,<\/em>\u2019 will be published in <em>Geology<\/em> (<a href=\"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1130\/G52887.1\">https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1130\/G52887.1).<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>New 911±¬ÁÏÍø research has revealed how massive ancient glaciers acted like giant bulldozers, reshaping [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4307,"featured_media":27442,"template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":true,"_oasis_is_in_workflow":0,"_oasis_original":0,"_oasis_task_priority":"","_relevanssi_hide_post":"","_relevanssi_hide_content":"","_relevanssi_pin_for_all":"","_relevanssi_pin_keywords":"","_relevanssi_unpin_keywords":"","_relevanssi_related_keywords":"","_relevanssi_related_include_ids":"","_relevanssi_related_exclude_ids":"","_relevanssi_related_no_append":"","_relevanssi_related_not_related":"","_relevanssi_related_posts":"5762,5201,7067,5957,7691,6841","_relevanssi_noindex_reason":"","wds_primary_category":0,"wds_primary_research-areas":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[81,41],"tags":[],"research-areas":[],"class_list":["post-27441","media-release","type-media-release","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-earth-science","category-environment"],"acf":{"post_options":{"":null,"additional_content":{"title":"","content":"","image":false},"related_courses":[{"title":"","qualification":"","link":"","description":"","faculty":""}],"credits":{"author":"","photographer":"","media":[22646,24381]},"display_author":true,"banner":{"image":false}},"experts":false},"featured_image":"https:\/\/www.curtin.edu.au\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/RESIZED-FOR-WEB-P7190125-1000x500.jpg","author_meta":{"first_name":"Lucien","last_name":"Wilkinson","display_name":"Lucien 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