We have very little clues left about the past of planet Earth, on which we lived for hundreds of thousands of years. One of the points where our knowledge is not high is that of the earth millions of years ago. environmental conditions.

A new study published July 12 revealed historical clues to the past. Scientists have discovered traces of the oldest glaciers on Earth. These tracks, contrary to the predictions of many, are in South Africa, among huge gold reserves lies.

These glaciers existed 2.9 billion years ago!

Scientists find traces of glaciers in South Africa 2.9 billion years ago shared the plate. The traces found also directly indicate the presence of glaciers. But they do not belong to the glacier itself.

The traces the scientists found were the traces of “moraines,” unstratified deposits formed by the glacial mass as the glaciers stretch or advance. Another trace proving the existence of glaciers lies in isotopes of oxygen from moraines.

scientists in the area 3 different oxygen isotopes examined (¹⁶O, ¹⁷O and ¹⁸O). Very small amounts of ¹⁸O and large amounts of ¹⁷O were seen in the samples taken from the rocks. This proved that these layers were formed at very low temperatures.

So what is the glacier doing in South Africa?

South Africa is a region that we only refer to in current geography. Our world and continents, changed shape over millions of yearskeeps changing.

Scientists, on the other hand, have different theories about why the tracks are on these lands. While it’s one option that the region is close to the South Pole, the other option is that Earth was at that time. “Snowball” to be, that is, to be in an ice age.