Many researchers believe that Earth's early oceans were very hot, reaching 80° Celsius, and that life originated in these conditions. According to Science Daily, new findings may prove the opposite to be true.

Harald Furnes, Professor Emeritus at the Department of Earth Science, has analysed volcanic and sedimentary rocks in the Barberton Greenstone Belt, South Africa. The volcanic rocks were deposited at depths of 2 to 4 kilometres.

The rocks analysed by Furnes and de Wit were formed at latitudes comparable with that of the Canary Islands. Some of the sedimentary rocks associated with the volcanic rocks, show a remarkable resemblance to those known from more recent ice ages.

"This may indicate that Earth, 3.5 billion years ago, experienced an extensive, perhaps global, ice age," Furnes says.

This comes at odds with the results of previous studies that shown much higher ocean temperatures in the Archean period. The scientist suggested that his colleagues came across other rocks, exposed to hydrothermal vents (hot springs beating from the bottom of the ocean).

bbabo.Net