this post was submitted on 02 Jul 2023
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Researchers suggest that about 2 1/2 billion years ago, bacteria caused iron to precipitate out of the oceans, depositing 1 km of heavy rock layers every million years. It eventually punched through Earth's crust and initiated the plate tectonic cycle. Since then, plate tectonics has helped to stabilize Earth's climate.
Interesting idea. I never thought that the thin crust needed some push to start cycling, I figured the circulation underneath was enough since it has been going for billions of years. But let's not forget the real MVP, because without Theria slamming into the early Earth and forming the Moon from some of the lithosphere, the crust would have been too thick for any movement regardless.