New analysis suggests Snowball Earth climate cycles may be more complex than current models predict

Summary

This article examines the Snowball Earth and Slushball Earth hypotheses during the Sturtian glacial period of the Neoproterozoic Era. It discusses the inconsistencies between existing models of global glaciation—where Earth was either completely ice-covered (Snowball) or had patchy ice/open water in the tropics (Slushball)—and the geological and biological evidence. The article suggests that the actual climate dynamics during this period may be more complex than previously understood, potentially involving a far stranger climate cycle than current models predict.