As it is known, billions of years ago, the geology of our planet shaped life on Earth. However, a new study conducted by scientists in Scotland revealed that the opposite of this situation may have been experienced as well.
According to the published research, the movements in the rock plates that caused the formation of mountains on our planet billions of years ago may have been supported by primitive life forms. Experts state that these creatures ‘lubricate’ the rock slabs, that is, enable them to move more easily.
Plankton helped form mountains
Without life on Earth, our planet’s surface would likely be flatter and ‘boring’, according to researchers at the University of Aberdeen and Glasgow. So the lack of living things would prevent the formation of mountains on the planet. Professor John Parnell of the University of Aberdeen explains this situation as follows:
“Simply put, mountains are made up of slabs of rock stacked on top of each other. But stacking of this magnitude is a challenge because of the friction between the rocks. So the rocks need something to slide over each other. ”
Parnell and his team discovered that the source of this lubricating effect was an increase that occurred during the growth of primitive plankton 2 billion years ago. According to the statements, this increase came after a major climate change that would have a lasting impact on the Earth’s surface.
Plankton are microscopic creatures that are at the base of the marine food chain and are vital to the health of today’s ocean ecosystems. The study revealed that the importance of these tiny organisms to the planet is much greater than anticipated.
Graphites facilitated the movement of rocks
According to Parnell, when plankton died, they sank to the bottom of the oceans, then turned into a substance called ‘graphite’ with the help of heat and pressure. These graphites, which are a very oily substance, made the rocks slippery and made them move more easily, just as we use many of them in our daily life. As a result of these events that took place two billion years ago, mountains that can now be observed in China, North America, Greenland and Scandinavia were formed.
According to scientists, this study, published in the journal Communications Earth & Environment, revealed that living life also plays an important role in changing the surface of the planet. In addition, it was stated by the researchers that the research could help save the world by providing important data about the protection of mountains to future generations.
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