"Unveiling Ancient Mysteries: Traces of an Ancient World Found in Seawater Drops"
Researchers have used advanced equipment to study sea salt and uncover changes in seawater chemistry over the past 150 million years. By analyzing trace elements in tiny droplets of ancient seawater preserved in salt crystals, they found a significant decrease in lithium concentration, which is linked to reduced production of oceanic crust and decreased seafloor hydrothermal activity caused by the movements of tectonic plates. This decline in lithium and subsequent decrease in carbon dioxide released into the atmosphere contributed to global cooling and the present ice age. The study highlights the interconnectedness of ocean and atmospheric chemistry and its impact on climate and marine biology.