Animals were absent for the first ~85% of Earth history, an observation that greatly disturbed Charles Darwin. They arose in earnest after recovery from one of the worst climate disasters that Earth has experienced: a severe glaciation that may have froze the planet from poles to equator for millions of years. Dubbed “Snowball Earth,” this exciting idea has pushed Earth scientists to explore the connections between global climate, the solid Earth and the biosphere.

Jon Husson, Professor, Earth & Ocean Sciences