Summary:
- The article discusses a new study that suggests the Earth's surface was much hotter in the past than previously thought, with temperatures reaching up to 85°C (185°F) during the Archean eon, which lasted from about 4 billion to 2.5 billion years ago.
- The study, published in the journal Nature Geoscience, used a novel technique to analyze the chemical composition of ancient rocks, which provided insights into the Earth's temperature history.
- The findings challenge the traditional view that the early Earth was a relatively cool planet, and suggest that the planet's climate and environment were significantly different from what we see today, with implications for the evolution of life on Earth.