[Rockhounds] New research links continents to key transitions in Earth's oceans, atmosphere and climate

[Alan Silverstein]

> "Oceans cover 70% of Earth's surface, setting it apart from the other
> terrestrial planets...

I remember reading/learning years ago, and marveling at, how special and
unlikely it is that we have "just the right amount" of water here,
especially over billions of years of rock/mineral recycling and/or
ionospheric dissociation and loss.  (Did I say that right? :-)

If we had less freestanding water, Earth could be a lifeless desert
planet.  If more water, no dry land => limited options for really
complex life, especially such as tool-using.

Sometimes I hear that we have exactly as much water now as we started
with, but that seems silly to me.  We all know that H20 is routinely
dissociated and recreated by living organisms, never mind being bound up
in, or released by weathering from, various hydrated minerals.  True?