ZME Science
No Result
View All Result
ZME Science
No Result
View All Result
ZME Science

Home → Science → Geology

Earth’s prehistoric atmosphere was covered in a haze similar to Saturn’s moon, Titan

Tibi PuiubyTibi Puiu
March 19, 2012
in Environment, Geology, Research, Science
A A
Share on FacebookShare on TwitterSubmit to Reddit

RelatedPosts

Looking to put a sub on Titan, NASA recreated its methane oceans in Washington
New deep-water microbes have the skills to help fight climate change
Scientists come up with most accurate age of Saturn’s rings yet
Saturn’s moon Titan may be older than Saturn itself

titan methane haze If you think today’s urban air, thickened with noxious smog, is terrible, just imagine how the Earth was filled in a shroud of hydrocarbons some 2.5 billion years ago. Back then, a haze dominated by methane engulfed the atmosphere such that light could barely reach the ground, similarly to what can be seen today on Titan, Saturn’s moon. A team of researchers modeled Earth’s atmosphere from its early history and found there was a period in which the planet’s atmosphere regularly switched between  “organic haze” (methane dominant) and “haze-free” (oxygen dominant), before finally stabilizing in an oxygenated atmosphere, allowing complex life to form.

Researchers at Newcastle University dissected Earth’s ancient atmosphere by analyzing the chemical make-up of a core of ocean sediment deposited on a region of South Africa, flooded between 2.65 and 2.5 billion years ago.  During this time the only life on Earth was formed by microbes, trapped from further evolving in complexity by a methane bond. These tiny microbes, however, were the ones which finally turned the atmosphere around, as they steadily released oxygen through photosynthesis. It was a full-out war actually, with victories and defeats on both sides.

During this 150 million year time frame, researchers found that the atmosphere shifted steadily between methane-rich and methane-poor composition, the latter most likely causing the dissipation of the haze, little by little.

“Models have previously suggested that the Earth’s early atmosphere could have been warmed by a layer of organic haze. Our geochemical analyses of marine sediments from this time period provide the first evidence for such an atmosphere.”

“However, instead of evidence for a continuously ‘hazy’ period we found the signal flipped on and off, in response to microbial activity.”, said Dr. Aubrey Zerkle from the School of Civil Engineering and Geosciences at Newcastle University.

Thus, every few million years or so, the atmosphere altered between states, due to irregular methane dumps by organisms, most likely triggered by different amounts of nutrients available in the ocean.The researchers back up the evidence presented in the study with NASA models of Earth’s ancient atmosphere, which demonstrate the effect of early methane levels.

“What is most surprising about this study is that our data seems to indicate the atmospheric events were discrete in nature, flip-flopping between one stable state into another,” explains co-author Dr Farquhar.

“This type of response is not all that different from the way scientists think climate operates today, and reminds us how delicate the balance between states can be.”

The findings were published in the journal Nature Geosciences.

Tags: atmospherehydrocarbonmethaneoxygensaturntitan

ShareTweetShare
Tibi Puiu

Tibi Puiu

Tibi is a science journalist and co-founder of ZME Science. He writes mainly about emerging tech, physics, climate, and space. In his spare time, Tibi likes to make weird music on his computer and groom felines. He has a B.Sc in mechanical engineering and an M.Sc in renewable energy systems.

Related Posts

Climate

Methane Leaks from Fossil Fuels Hit Record Highs. And We’re Still Looking the Other Way

byMihai Andrei
2 days ago
Environment

Nonproducing Oil Wells May Be Emitting 7 Times More Methane Than We Thought

byLauren Schneider
3 weeks ago
photic
News

A Massive Part of the Ocean Is Getting Darker and It’s Already Impacting Sea Life

byJordan Strickler
1 month ago
Biology

Researchers can’t rule out the possibility of life existing on Titan

byMihai Andrei
3 months ago

Recent news

Tennis May Add Nearly 10 Years to Your Life and Most People Are Ignoring It

July 4, 2025

Humans Have Been Reshaping Earth with Fire for at Least 50,000 Years

July 4, 2025

The Strangest Microbe Ever Found Straddles The Line Between Life and Non-Life

July 4, 2025
  • About
  • Advertise
  • Editorial Policy
  • Privacy Policy and Terms of Use
  • How we review products
  • Contact

© 2007-2025 ZME Science - Not exactly rocket science. All Rights Reserved.

No Result
View All Result
  • Science News
  • Environment
  • Health
  • Space
  • Future
  • Features
    • Natural Sciences
    • Physics
      • Matter and Energy
      • Quantum Mechanics
      • Thermodynamics
    • Chemistry
      • Periodic Table
      • Applied Chemistry
      • Materials
      • Physical Chemistry
    • Biology
      • Anatomy
      • Biochemistry
      • Ecology
      • Genetics
      • Microbiology
      • Plants and Fungi
    • Geology and Paleontology
      • Planet Earth
      • Earth Dynamics
      • Rocks and Minerals
      • Volcanoes
      • Dinosaurs
      • Fossils
    • Animals
      • Mammals
      • Birds
      • Fish
      • Amphibians
      • Reptiles
      • Invertebrates
      • Pets
      • Conservation
      • Animal facts
    • Climate and Weather
      • Climate change
      • Weather and atmosphere
    • Health
      • Drugs
      • Diseases and Conditions
      • Human Body
      • Mind and Brain
      • Food and Nutrition
      • Wellness
    • History and Humanities
      • Anthropology
      • Archaeology
      • History
      • Economics
      • People
      • Sociology
    • Space & Astronomy
      • The Solar System
      • Sun
      • The Moon
      • Planets
      • Asteroids, meteors & comets
      • Astronomy
      • Astrophysics
      • Cosmology
      • Exoplanets & Alien Life
      • Spaceflight and Exploration
    • Technology
      • Computer Science & IT
      • Engineering
      • Inventions
      • Sustainability
      • Renewable Energy
      • Green Living
    • Culture
    • Resources
  • Videos
  • Reviews
  • About Us
    • About
    • The Team
    • Advertise
    • Contribute
    • Editorial policy
    • Privacy Policy
    • Contact

© 2007-2025 ZME Science - Not exactly rocket science. All Rights Reserved.