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

[pmodreski]

Yes, there are very few tool-using fish! Especially on our planet.I think that any biologic or inorganic process are pretty much balanced, regarding water. Forming hydrated minerals in rocks, is probably balanced by erosion and breakdown of those same minerals. And I think for a planet with as much water as we have, ionosphere dissociation is a pretty minimal process.And, I have always understand, that during the history of the earth, primordial water trapped deep in the earth's mantle is gradually being released to the surface via volcanism, hence gradually adding to the amount of ocean water.Sent from my Verizon, Samsung Galaxy smartphone
-------- Original message --------From: "(Alan Silverstein)" <ajs at silgro.com> Date: 2/3/22  2:26 PM  (GMT-07:00) To: rockhounds at rockhounds.drizzle.com Subject: Re: [Rockhounds] New research links continents to key transitions
  in Earth's oceans, atmosphere and climate > "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 andunlikely it is that we have "just the right amount" of water here,especially over billions of years of rock/mineral recycling and/orionospheric dissociation and loss.  (Did I say that right? :-)If we had less freestanding water, Earth could be a lifeless desertplanet.  If more water, no dry land => limited options for reallycomplex life, especially such as tool-using.Sometimes I hear that we have exactly as much water now as we startedwith, but that seems silly to me.  We all know that H20 is routinelydissociated and recreated by living organisms, never mind being bound upin, or released by weathering from, various hydrated minerals.  True?_______________________________________________Rockhounds mailing listSubscription Services:  http://rockhounds.drizzle.com/mailman/listinfo/rockhounds_rockhounds.drizzle.comList Usage Policy: http://Tomaszewski.net/Kreigh/Rockhounds/Rockhounds.shtml