The researchers have unravelled that the blue Earth - which in today's times has green terrains and blue oceans - was once a huge chunk of ice.&nbsp;

The scenario of "Snowball Earth" is not some sort of imagination but the reality of Earth millions of years ago.

In a new study conducted by the researchers of the University of Colorado Boulder, evidence has been found which indicated that the Earth was covered by giant glaciers till the equator millions of years ago.&nbsp;

Because of the nature of the planet, Earth appeared like a celestial icicle.&nbsp;

<h2>What led to the Snowball Earth?</h2>

The study has added more evidence to the theory of Snowball Earth according to which from around 720 to 635 million years ago the climate of the planet was altered radically by various events.&nbsp;

The temperatures dropped and huge ice sheets enveloped the planet from pole to pole.&nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/what-will-happen-to-apophis-during-its-close-call-with-earth-in-2029-a-study-answers-the-question-773096">What will happen to Apophis during its close call with Earth in 2029? A study answers the question</a>

“This study presents the first physical evidence that Snowball Earth reached the heart of continents at the equator,” stated Liam Courtney-Davies, who is a postdoctoral researcher in the Department of Geological Sciences at&nbsp;CU Boulder and lead author of the new study.&nbsp;

<h2>How the study was carried out?</h2>

The focus of the research was centred on the Front Range of Colorado’s Rocky Mountains which held the coveted key to the frigid past, according to Courtney-Davies.&nbsp;

A dating technique, called laser ablation mass spectrometry, was utilised by the geologists.&nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/meteorite-200-times-dinosaur-killer-ravaged-and-then-birthed-life-on-earth-769641">Life blossomed on infant Earth after massive meteorite strike billions of years ago</a>

In this process, the scientists found that the rocks were forced underground between 690 to 660 million years ago because of the weight of the overlying glaciers.

<h2>Did life exist on Snowball Earth?</h2>

Courtney-Davies said that theory suggests the appearance of the first multicellular organisms in oceans after Snowball Earth thawed out.

“You have the climate evolving, and you have life evolving with it. All of these things happened during Snowball Earth upheaval,” said Courtney-Davies.&nbsp;

“We have to better characterize this entire time period to understand how we and the planet evolved together. We want to get the word out so that others try and find these features and help us build a more complete picture of Snowball Earth,” he added.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

The researchers have unravelled that the blue Earth - which in today's times has green terrains and blue oceans - was once a huge chunk of ice. The scenario of "Snowball Earth" is not some sort of imagination but the reality of Earth millions of years ago.

The researchers have unravelled that the blue Earth - which in today's times has green terrains and blue oceans - was once a huge chunk of ice. The scenario of "Snowball Earth" is not some sort of imagination but the reality of Earth millions of years ago. In a new study conducted by the researchers of the University of Colorado Boulder, evidence has been found which indicated that the Earth was covered by giant glaciers till the equator millions of years ago. Because of the nature of the planet, Earth appeared like a celestial icicle. What led to the Snowball Earth? The study has added more evidence to the theory of Snowball Earth according to which from around 720 to 635 million years ago the climate of the planet was altered radically by various events. The temperatures dropped and huge ice sheets enveloped the planet from pole to pole. Also Read: What will happen to Apophis during its close call with Earth in 2029? A study answers the question “This study presents the first physical evidence that Snowball Earth reached the heart of continents at the equator,” stated Liam Courtney-Davies, who is a postdoctoral researcher in the Department of Geological Sciences at CU Boulder and lead author of the new study. How the study was carried out? The focus of the research was centred on the Front Range of Colorado’s Rocky Mountains which held the coveted key to the frigid past, according to Courtney-Davies. A dating technique, called laser ablation mass spectrometry, was utilised by the geologists. Also Read: Life blossomed on infant Earth after massive meteorite strike billions of years ago In this process, the scientists found that the rocks were forced underground between 690 to 660 million years ago because of the weight of the overlying glaciers. Did life exist on Snowball Earth? Courtney-Davies said that theory suggests the appearance of the first multicellular organisms in oceans after Snowball Earth thawed out. “You have the climate evolving, and you have life evolving with it. All of these things happened during Snowball Earth upheaval,” said Courtney-Davies. “We have to better characterize this entire time period to understand how we and the planet evolved together. We want to get the word out so that others try and find these features and help us build a more complete picture of Snowball Earth,” he added. (With inputs from agencies)

Was Blue Earth once a 'snowball'? Here's the truth of the bluish-green planet

Our Earth has witnessed several “Snowball” periods during its history. During these periods, the entire planet remained covered in ice for thousands and even millions of years. For long, scientists have debated over one question: What could have triggered the initiation of the snowball periods? Now, a study has claimed that the process might have been triggered by large asteroids that slammed into Earth.

The study, published in the journal Science Advances, has been prepared by scientists from Yale, the University of Chicago and the University of Vienna.

<h2>Previous theory</h2>

According to one theory, the ice age might have begun due to a massive decline in greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. However, scientists still wanted to explore other possibilities.

Lead author of the study, Minmin Fu, the Richard Foster Flint Postdoctoral Fellow in the Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences in Yale’s Faculty of Arts and Sciences, said in a statement: “We decided to explore an alternative possibility.”

“What if an extraterrestrial impact caused this climate change transition very abruptly?” Minmin added.

<h2>How the study was conducted?</h2>

The scientists used a climate model and aligned it with characteristics of the aftermath of an asteroid strike in four different periods of the past: Preindustrial (150 years ago), Last Glacial Maximum (21,000 years ago), Cretaceous (145 to 66 million years ago), and Neoproterozoic (1 billion to 542 million years ago).

Scientists concluded that while the asteroid strike was unlikely to trigger a snowball in two warmer periods (Cretaceous and preindustrial), it could have triggered one in the other two periods as the temperature in climate was already low.

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The temperature in the Glacial Maximum and Neoproterozoic periods was cold enough to set in motion an ice age.

“What surprised me most in our results is that, given sufficiently cold initial climate conditions, a ‘Snowball’ state after an asteroid impact can develop over the global ocean in a matter of just one decade,” said co-author Alexey Fedorov, a professor of ocean and atmospheric sciences in Yale’s Faculty of Arts and Sciences.

Also read:&nbsp;<a data-ved="2ahUKEwil3Jav0LeFAxX1hGMGHQx1C0IQxfQBKAB6BAgOEAE" href="https://www.wionews.com/science/is-bird-flu-to-blame-for-thousands-of-dead-penguins-in-antarctica-scientists-rush-to-find-out-707953" jsname="YKoRaf" ping="/url?sa=t&amp;source=web&amp;rct=j&amp;opi=89978449&amp;url=https://www.wionews.com/science/is-bird-flu-to-blame-for-thousands-of-dead-penguins-in-antarctica-scientists-rush-to-find-out-707953&amp;ved=2ahUKEwil3Jav0LeFAxX1hGMGHQx1C0IQxfQBKAB6BAgOEAE">Is bird flu to blame for thousands of dead penguins in Antarctica? Scientists rush to find out</a>

“By then the thickness of sea ice at the Equator would reach about 10 metres. This should be compared to a typical sea ice thickness of one to three metres in the modern Arctic.”

(With inputs from agencies)

Our Earth has witnessed several “Snowball” periods during its history. During these periods, the entire planet remained covered in ice for thousands and even millions of years.

Our Earth has witnessed several “Snowball” periods during its history. During these periods, the entire planet remained covered in ice for thousands and even millions of years. For long, scientists have debated over one question: What could have triggered the initiation of the snowball periods? Now, a study has claimed that the process might have been triggered by large asteroids that slammed into Earth. The study, published in the journal Science Advances, has been prepared by scientists from Yale, the University of Chicago and the University of Vienna. Previous theory According to one theory, the ice age might have begun due to a massive decline in greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. However, scientists still wanted to explore other possibilities. Lead author of the study, Minmin Fu, the Richard Foster Flint Postdoctoral Fellow in the Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences in Yale’s Faculty of Arts and Sciences, said in a statement: “We decided to explore an alternative possibility.” “What if an extraterrestrial impact caused this climate change transition very abruptly?” Minmin added. How the study was conducted? The scientists used a climate model and aligned it with characteristics of the aftermath of an asteroid strike in four different periods of the past: Preindustrial (150 years ago), Last Glacial Maximum (21,000 years ago), Cretaceous (145 to 66 million years ago), and Neoproterozoic (1 billion to 542 million years ago). Scientists concluded that while the asteroid strike was unlikely to trigger a snowball in two warmer periods (Cretaceous and preindustrial), it could have triggered one in the other two periods as the temperature in climate was already low. Also read: NASA`s Perseverance rover spots thousands of `unusual` white rocks on Mars The temperature in the Glacial Maximum and Neoproterozoic periods was cold enough to set in motion an ice age. “What surprised me most in our results is that, given sufficiently cold initial climate conditions, a ‘Snowball’ state after an asteroid impact can develop over the global ocean in a matter of just one decade,” said co-author Alexey Fedorov, a professor of ocean and atmospheric sciences in Yale’s Faculty of Arts and Sciences. Also read: Is bird flu to blame for thousands of dead penguins in Antarctica? Scientists rush to find out “By then the thickness of sea ice at the Equator would reach about 10 metres. This should be compared to a typical sea ice thickness of one to three metres in the modern Arctic.” (With inputs from agencies)

Large asteroids that slammed into Earth could have triggered ice age: Study

Opposing armies of snowball fighters pummeled each other on Washington D.C.'s National Mall after a storm unleashed heavy snow on the nation's capital.

D.C. snowball fighters engage in 'Battle of Snomicron'

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