New research links unusual rocks in Colorado to Snowball Earth period

New research from Colorado's Pikes Peak has identified a link to the Snowball Earth period, around 700 million years ago, when the planet was encased in ice. This evidence comes from unique pebbly sandstones, known as Tava rocks, formed under immense pressure from ice sheets. Using advanced dating techniques, scientists determined that these sand injectites formed between 690 million and 660 million years ago during the Cryogenian Period. This period is characterized by significant climate changes and is crucial for understanding early life on Earth. The findings also challenge previous theories about geological formations, suggesting that a major erosion event, known as the Great Unconformity, occurred before the Snowball Earth period, rather than being caused by it. This research may lead to further discoveries about Earth's history during extreme climate events.