Supernova theory links an exploding star to global cooling and human evolution | AI News Digest
A new hypothesis suggests that remnants of a supernova may have contributed to global cooling between 3 million and 2.6 million years ago, impacting human evolution. Traditionally, ocean currents were thought to be the primary cause of this cooling, but researcher Francis Thackeray proposes that cosmic rays from supernovae could have altered Earth's climate. This cooling period coincides with significant evolutionary changes in early hominins, including Australopithecus. The presence of Fe-60 isotopes in marine deposits supports this theory, indicating a link between cosmic events and biological evolution. Thackeray's ideas open new avenues for understanding the relationship between cosmic phenomena and the development of early human ancestors.
