Unraveling Earth's Enigmatic 27 Million Year 'Heartbeat'
Earth appears to have a slow, steady "heartbeat" of geological activity that occurs approximately every 27 million years, according to research analyzing ancient geological events. This cycle of clustered events includes volcanic activity, mass extinctions, plate reorganizations, and sea level rises. The study provides statistical evidence for a common cycle, suggesting that these geologic events are correlated and not random. The cause of this cycle is still uncertain, with potential factors including geophysical processes related to plate tectonics and mantle plumes, or astronomical cycles associated with Earth's motions in the Solar System and the Galaxy. Fortunately, researchers believe we have another 20 million years before the next pulse of geological activity.