Earth's Ocean Floors Are Secret Climate Heroes, Study Finds

Scientists just uncovered a hidden climate hero that's been working beneath our feet for millions of years: the ocean floor.

For decades, researchers believed volcanic eruptions were the main force pumping carbon dioxide into our atmosphere and driving major climate shifts. A groundbreaking new study published in Communications, Earth and Environment reveals the real story is far more fascinating.

The ocean floor acts like a giant carbon storage system. Over thousands of years, the world's oceans pull carbon dioxide from the air and lock it away in thick layers of sediment at the bottom of the sea. Some spots accumulate hundreds of meters of carbon-rich rock.

Here's where it gets interesting. As Earth's tectonic plates slowly drift across the planet's surface, they carry these carbon-packed ocean floors with them. When plates pull apart at places called mid-ocean ridges and continental rifts, they release this stored carbon back into the atmosphere. This process has shaped whether Earth experienced warm "greenhouse" periods or frozen "icehouse" ages throughout history.

Scientists used computer models to track how tectonic plates moved over the past 540 million years. Their predictions matched perfectly with the major climate shifts Earth actually experienced during that time.

The timing matters too. Tiny ocean creatures called planktic calcifiers only evolved about 200 million years ago. These microscopic heroes convert dissolved carbon into solid calcite, dramatically boosting the ocean's carbon storage capacity. They spread throughout the world's oceans around 150 million years ago and have been quietly helping regulate our climate ever since.

The Bright Side

This discovery gives scientists a clearer picture of Earth's natural climate regulation system. Understanding how the planet has balanced carbon over hundreds of millions of years helps researchers predict future climate patterns and develop better solutions.

The ocean floor has been protecting our planet's climate balance longer than we knew, and it's still working today.