A recent study provides new details about the evolution of life on Earth during the Tonian Period, which spanned from 1000 to 720 million years ago. The Tonian occurred after a roughly one billion year stretch of time when the environment, life, and lithology of Earth was relatively stable. It also preceded the ‘snowball Earth’ glaciations that occurred in the Cryogenian.

The Tonian represents an important period in Earth’s history because changes in the global environment are thought to correspond to a time of evolutionary innovation for life. Studying the Tonian can provide insight in the co-evolution of the planet and the biosphere.

The study, “After the boring billion and before the freezing millions: evolutionary patterns and innovations in the Tonian Period,” was published in the journal Emerging Topics in Life Sciences. The work was supported by NASA Astrobiology through the Exobiology Program.