Analysis of 260 million years of major geological events finds recurring clusters 27.5 million years apart.
Geologic activity on Earth appears to follow a 27.5-million-year cycle, giving the planet a “pulse,” according to a new study published in the journal Geoscience Frontiers.
“Many geologists believe that geological events are random over time. But our study provides statistical evidence for a common cycle, suggesting that these geologic events are correlated and not random,” said Michael Rampino, a geologist and professor in New York University’s Department of Biology, as well as the study’s lead author.
Advances in Dating Techniques Enable New Insights
Over the past five decades, researchers have proposed cycles of major geological events — including volcanic activity and mass extinctions on land and sea — ranging from roughly 26 to 36 million years. But early work on these correlations in the geological record was hampered by limitations in the age-dating of geologic events, which prevented scientists from conducting quantitative investigations.
However, there have been significant improvements in radio-isotopic dating techniques and changes in the geologic timescale, leading to new data on the timing of past events. Using the latest age-dating data available, Rampino and his colleagues compiled updated records of major geological events over the last 260 million years and conducted new analyses.
The team analyzed the ages of 89 well-dated major geological events of the last 260 million years. These events include marine and land extinctions, major volcanic outpourings of lava called flood-basalt eruptions, events when oceans were depleted of oxygen, sea-level fluctuations, and changes or reorganization in the Earth’s tectonic plates.
They found that these global geologic events are generally clustered at 10 different timepoints over the 260 million years, grouped in peaks or pulses of roughly 27.5 million years apart. The most recent cluster of geological events was approximately 7 million years ago, suggesting that the next pulse of major geological activity is more than 20 million years in the future.
Tectonic and Orbital Forces as Potential Drivers
The researchers posit that these pulses may be a function of cycles of activity in the Earth’s interior — geophysical processes related to the dynamics of plate tectonics and climate. However, similar cycles in the Earth’s orbit in space might also be pacing these events.
“Whatever the origins of these cyclical episodes, our findings support the case for a largely periodic, coordinated, and intermittently catastrophic geologic record, which is a departure from the views held by many geologists,” explained Rampino.
Reference: “A pulse of the Earth: A 27.5-Myr underlying cycle in coordinated geological events over the last 260 Myr” by Michael R. Rampino, Ken Caldeira and Yuhong Zhu, 17 June 2021, Geoscience Frontiers.
DOI: 10.1016/j.gsf.2021.101245
In addition to Rampino, study authors include Yuhong Zhu of NYU’s Center for Data Science and Ken Caldeira of the Carnegie Institution for Science.
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37 Comments
More made up bull corn for the dumbed down masses programming
“… geophysical processes related to the dynamics of plate tectonics and CLIMATE.”
Seriously? Climate is going to affect subduction and flood basalts? Anything to add scare value and importance to a one degree change out of an absolute range of 290 K! That is a 0.3% change per hundred years.
Happy to vìew this dìscovery.Fact is confirming.With much pleasure this can be cìted that from the myth & stars’s motion,nòt goìng to details geologic cycĺes wìth related time periods are present and will òccùre
agaìn in the fùtùre.Thanks to the aùthor fòr accùrate work.
This is a probabĺe cycĺe described and recorded in mytholoy viewed in ancìent times.But,thanks to the authorfor present work in geoĺogy for cyclic time period.
This is a probabĺe cycĺe described and recorded in mytholoy viewed in ancìent times.But,thanks to the authorfor present work in geoĺogy for cyclic time period.Exactly this time period is represented stated as submultiples and multiples, with 10 or higher pòwèr of this and 2 as factors.
Things got weird in here
Lol, things did get weird in here. My first thought was also the 30m± year cycles of the solar system oscillating above and below the galactic plane. Surely some yet understood powerful magnetic field interactions stirring up the core.
Very interesting,the article mentioned something about the orbit of earth through the solar system and what came to mind forme was could there be forces in space unknown to us that effect or trigger the earth into acting a certain way ,like dark matter what things of that nature,I sure wish time travel was possible because I’d love to c what the future of our world holds for us and itself…..
I for one fully expect the planet to cool rapidly after the current heat cycle and suffer thermal contraction. Squeezing all that juicy magma out. I mean why wouldn’t the planet expand and contract as it heats and cools in accordance with solar cycles.
Well, there was an article today showing that Venus, earth and Jupiter align every 11.x years and that the magnetic dynamo of the sun is influenced by the planets. I am betting there is something similar occuring within earth.
Clyde, learn to read whole things. Climate signal shoes impacts of massive events like flood basalt eruptions. It is a marker for upheaval, responding to massive changes in emissions. All you are proving here is that climate deniers are straw grasping fools.
Clearly, flood basalt eruptions can impact climate. What I’m objecting to is the implied causality of climate driving “geophysical processes.”
You might seriously consider taking your own advice, Mr. Engineer.
You guys are insanely brilliant. I’m astonished you’re taking the time out of your undoubtedly busy lives to leave comments- 5 or 6 times even, in case we don’t see it the first time
Given the period and the set of possible Energy storage mechanisms that would be required to have oscillation or ringing, I find it unlikely this is earth centric. More likely a result of one or more sets of gravity waves creating a eat note in space time.
Hilarious
So it seems like the earth does a lot without us… Maybe we should be doubling down on energy sources so that we can whether the storm?
Every 27.5M years inhabitants drilled for oil and mined coal until they were told to stop
…..
Lol it took til the year 2021 for “scientists” to “discover” this cycle sure. Most of these articles post old and repetitious “findings” nothin new here folks
These are also the basis of Milankovitch Cycles. As the magma makes movements under the earth it causes changes in the Terran spin cycle. The solar system has many relationships that we have to still discover.
Dear peoples, don’t insult others, I have faith that you are better than that and can still appreciate civil discourse. I am not a science denier, I am a Science curious person, always amazed at what I learn and fairly question what I don’t understand yet.
I am willing to keep trying to learn new things to better help my own understanding.
Please help me learn by being civil , if we ask a “dumb” question, we need more gentle explanations in the comments please .
Much support, hopeful
trust and gratitude.
Dear Author(s) of the Article
(I was confused who wrote this, the study in the link has many names)
This was very interesting.
many cool ways this can be studied by so many fields and branches to confirm.
Since im not a geophysicist, half of the terms are over my head and I have to refference it, but am curious on a few piqued questions.
Eagerly hope to read a followup to this Article:).
Read and Understand Indian “Vedas”. That would give a greater insight into the subject in my opinion. Our earlier generations did have a better knowledge than us as our new discoveries would uncover this fact. Nature and ancient skills and knowledge have not yet been totally looked into.
Thise events are mentioned in the Hindu muthology as kalpas are 72 in numbers for a time period of 24⁰+milĺion years.Each kalpa has a time period of 33 lakh 44 thousand 3⁷5 years.So 89 events are in 26⁰ million years.Hence residual 17 events due to còsmological effects on the galaxy related with thermodynamic phenomena.This is to note that each kalpa has a day and a night divide time to equal parts.One day(òf Lord Bramha) comprised of 10 Yugas,one for each Avatara.Time period of each following Yuga is half of the previous.So at present time the 10th Yuga is reigning meantfor theKalki Avatara has time period of 1625 years.The 9th Avatara Lòrd Buddha has time period of 3250 years,so present in both B.C. and A.D., time refference to Lord the Christ.Thanks for valuable and good works with calculations.
Thise events are mentioned in the Hindu muthology as kalpas are 72 in numbers for a time period of 24⁰+milĺion years.Each kalpa has a time period of 33 lakh 44 thousand 3⁷5 years.So 89 events are in 26⁰ million years.Hence residual 17 events due to còsmological effects on the galaxy related with thermodynamic phenomena.This is to note that each kalpa has a day and a night divide time to equal parts.One day(òf Lord Bramha) comprised of 10 Yugas,one for each Avatara.Time period of each following Yuga is half of the previous.So at present time the 10th Yuga is reigning meantfor theKalki Avatara has time period of 1625 years.The 9th Avatara Lòrd Buddha has time period of 3250 years,so present in both B.C. and A.D., time refference to Lord the Christ.Thanks for valuable and good works with calculations.Calculations of past age had mostly based on motion of stars in the milkyway.
Thise events are mentioned in the Hindu muthology as kalpas are 72 in numbers for a time period of 24⁰+milĺion years.Each kalpa has a time period of 33 lakh 44 thousand 3⁷5 years.So 89 events are in 26⁰ million years.Hence residual 17 events due to còsmological effects on the galaxy related with thermodynamic phenomena.This is to note that each kalpa has a day and a night divide time to equal parts.One day(òf Lord Bramha) comprised of 10 Yugas,one for each Avatara.Time period of each following Yuga is half of the previous.So at present time the 10th Yuga is reigning meantfor theKalki Avatara has time period of 1625 years.The 9th Avatara Lòrd Buddha has time period of 3250 years,so present in both B.C. and A.D., time refference to Lord the Christ.Thanks for valuable and good works with calculations.Calculations of past age had mostly based on motion of stars in the milkyway.
They assimilated the sun,the moon, first five planets in distance from sun excluding to our own planet earth in the soĺar system with point of interceptions in the solar eclipse and lunar eclipse
Well to throw a wrench in all this…the Earth hasn’t been around for 7mil yrs. So wonder how that cycle data would work on a smaller time scale. Of course I’m speaking from a purely Biblical perspective. Everyone knows the data from dating the past has been shown to be flawed. But anyway I’d like to see this on a Biblical Earth time-line.
So if we keep exploding H bombs and the like, would it interfere with our Earths pulse? As imploding total distraction of our planet I’d surmise.
This article raises more questions than answers. It provokes more fear than optimism. And, in my humble opinion, it only restates assertions that were made in previous areas of science. However, there are many many things not taken into account by the science that represents the area in which this article was pursuing. I feel like this is a disinformation piece, as much as it is I scientific article.
That cicle should be something from outside Earth…. as we move around the Milky Way in 225 million years, outside exist something that we still don’t know…. so life starts over once and again… and again…
Very enlightening hypothesis, this could be the reason why we’re seeing a shift in the polls right now.
Fascinating. Humans have been on this rock for 100000 years so we may of witnessed one of these events but we won’t be here in 27 million years. So it is rather moot
Who in their right mind ever thought the universe was in a for ever static mode.
Realize and accept how small and insignificant we are looking at the universal volume!
I can state that cycles of the earth’s changes are intelligently designed. The only major qualms I have pertain to the errors of carbon-dating and the theories that are treated as commonsense facts. What’s the point in trying to convince the masses that the earth is older than the oldest dated references of recorded history? It is, but by how much doesn’t matter. Nobody can truly deny intelligent design in all of nature. It just can’t be ignored. I know for a fact the phone I’m using was created by many intelligent humans and was designed for this purpose. Yet humans cannot create a leaf on a tree. The complexities of the inner-workings of all living things cannot be created, only altered as we understand them. Please don’t make assumptions to conclude that theories about the past become fact. Evolution does not exist. There are so many fallacies to these theories that are commonly accepted… it’s ridiculous!
Good luck trying to prove that one.
Thanks for your comments Joshua! I feel exactly the same way! There is a point where science fades and belief takes over. Both science and religion must rely on belief when it comes to life’s origins. These scientific theories are exciting and interesting, but sense tells us we are creating theories bases on millions of years when we have have only been analyzing for the last 100’s of years. These thoughts are only beliefs and assumptions. As we attempt to discover more, we only uncover the vast complexities and mysteries that are still hidden from our understanding!
How did this conversation get like this?If person wants to denign science why are you even on this site? everything has a cycle or pulse per say.from heart beats to changing tides.my theory is even common sense skips a generation every now and then.denign or not the fact remains certain action’s cause certain reactions.please tell me how to put this study into biblical context seeing a the time frame the bible says.facts are facts and beliefs are beliefs.all hope in people was restored I talk to but most importantly I listen that’s where wisdom comes from.I learned evolution is in front of you look at your children they are much more intellectual and mature in thought than most adults.they live in a word of right and wrong and love for everything until adults teach them about hate,negativity,and to close their minds.
Anyone else notice that these earthly geological occurrences coincide like a Swiss time clock every quarter lap around the Galaxy.