• Space/Science
  • GeekSpeak
  • Mysteries of
    the Multiverse
  • Science Fiction
  • The Comestible Zone
  • Off-Topic
  • Community
  • Flame
  • CurrentEvents

Recent posts

Birthright Citizenship RobVG June 29, 2025 3:34 pm (CurrentEvents)

To be blunt, NASA is now dead RL June 27, 2025 11:56 am (Space/Science)

Musk trashes his own AI after it chose a liberal worldview. RobVG June 23, 2025 9:56 am (CurrentEvents)

Psyche keeps its date with an asteroid BuckGalaxy June 22, 2025 5:21 pm (Space/Science)

Just for the record... ER June 22, 2025 8:59 am (CurrentEvents)

The Three Unknowns After the U.S. Strike on Iran BuckGalaxy June 22, 2025 12:58 am (CurrentEvents)

There are only nine meals between mankind and anarchy. BuckGalaxy June 22, 2025 12:29 am (Flame)

Not ready for prime time BuckGalaxy June 19, 2025 12:18 pm (Space/Science)

hypocrisy ER June 15, 2025 2:30 pm (Flame)

NSIDC offline? ER June 12, 2025 12:19 pm (Space/Science)

Wouldn't it be nice BuckGalaxy June 11, 2025 3:13 pm (Off-Topic)

Thank You Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin BuckGalaxy June 9, 2025 1:35 pm (Off-Topic)

Home » Space/Science

Oy, Pod! February 8, 2019 12:52 pm ER

I heard an interesting report on “Science Friday” today, maybe you might like to comment on it…

Some new research in paleomagnetism has come up that suggests the Earth’s magnetic field, after a long period of decline, suddenly became much stronger about 500 million years ago. This strengthening has been attributed to the formation of earth’s solid core, which supposedly occurred around that time. Apparently, this new configuration of the iron core has led to a much stronger terrestrial magnetic field, and all that implies (improved protection from cosmic radiation).

The association with the Cambrian Explosion, which also occurred about that same time, immediately came to my mind, and the geophysicist being interviewed also mentioned that there might be a connection between these two events, although he admitted that there was no direct evidence of such. Still, a sudden reduction in radiation at Earth’s surface might very well have an influence on the sudden evolution of multicellular life-forms, and might very well explain their sudden rise at that time.

As you know, prior to the Cambrian Explosion a half-billion years ago, all life on Earth lived in the sea, and was microbial in nature. After three billion years of evolution, the most complex biological organisms seemed to have been stromatolites, which are not true metazoans, but loosely organized colonies of algae and other single-celled creatures, not even as highly evolved as a sponge. After the CE, all the major phyla of advanced life (and many others which have since gone extinct) suddenly appeared and flourished). Not only was the change profound, it was sudden. It is tempting to think the two events were connected.

Any comments?

  • listening now.... by podrock 2019-02-08 13:47:42
    • It's an interesting theory. by podrock 2019-02-08 14:13:26
      • But... by ER 2019-02-08 14:26:48
        • Recent study: by podrock 2019-02-08 17:45:33
          • If true, that demolishes one of my pet theories... by ER 2019-02-08 21:01:38
            • Good questions. by podrock 2019-02-09 04:34:23
              • What makes Greenstone Belts mysterious? by RL 2019-02-09 09:54:24
                • How they fit into Plate Tectonics by podrock 2019-02-10 13:26:57
                  • It appears by ER 2019-02-10 20:13:28
                • I have heard that ~1/2 billion years of strata 'went missing' by RL 2019-02-09 09:33:39
                  • Other theories of the Great Unconformity by RL 2019-02-09 09:51:38

      Search

      The Control Panel

      • Log in
      • Register