Scienceenvironment
Snowball Earth iron deposits may stem from microbes without sunlight
Iron is one of the most abundant metals on Earth's surface, yet the formation of massive ancient iron ore deposits has long remained a geological mystery. The traditional theory suggests that ancient photosynthetic bacteria oxidized iron to accumulate in the oceans. However, new research indicates that these iron deposits might have formed through the action of microbes living entirely without sunlight during Snowball Earth events.