Supermountains spanned over 8,000 kilometers—double the distance between Florida and California.
Key Takeaways
- Researchers have identified two ancient “supermountains” that dwarfed today’s Himalayas in size and scale.
- The largest supermountains stretched over 5,000 miles, spanning multiple ancient supercontinents.
- These colossal ranges played a pivotal role in fueling Earth’s two biggest evolutionary booms.
- Eroding supermountains released massive amounts of nutrients into oceans, accelerating biological complexity.
- Periods without mountain formation, like the “boring billion,” coincided with stalled evolutionary progress.
__________
Twice in Earth’s history, colossal mountain ranges called “supermountains” towered above the planet’s surface, far surpassing the size of the Himalayas. According to new research published in Earth and Planetary Science Letters, these prehistoric peaks not only reshaped the landscape but also catalyzed two of the most significant evolutionary leaps in Earth’s history.
The study, led by Ziyi Zhu of The Australian National University (ANU), analyzed rare zircon crystals formed under immense pressure at the base of high mountain ranges. This revealed two major periods of supermountain formation: the Nuna Supermountain (2–1.8 billion years ago) and the Transgondwanan Supermountain (650–500 million years ago). These ranges stretched over 5,000 miles (8,000 kilometers), splitting ancient supercontinents and towering as high as today’s Himalayas.
Fueling Evolution Through Erosion
The researchers propose that the erosion of these massive ranges played a crucial role in Earth’s biological history. As supermountains weathered away, they released immense quantities of nutrients like iron and phosphorus into the oceans. These nutrients supercharged biological cycles, driving the evolution of complex life.
The Nuna Supermountain’s formation coincided with the appearance of Earth’s first eukaryotic cells—organisms with nuclei that later evolved into plants, animals, and fungi. Similarly, the erosion of the Transgondwanan Supermountain overlapped with the Cambrian explosion (541 million years ago), when most major animal groups first appeared in the fossil record.
The researchers also suggest that the eroding supermountains released oxygen into the atmosphere, making Earth more hospitable to complex life forms.
The “Boring Billion” and Evolutionary Stagnation
Between 1.7 billion and 750 million years ago, Earth experienced a period known as the “boring billion,” during which mountain formation ceased, and evolutionary progress stagnated. Scientists hypothesize that the absence of nutrient-rich erosion during this time-starved oceanic ecosystems, slowing the development of new life forms.
While more research is needed to solidify the link between supermountains and evolutionary booms, the study suggests these ancient ranges were essential to life’s complexity. The rise and fall of these massive peaks appear to have left an indelible mark on the planet’s biological history.
