Which geological period was the hottest?

[thestaggy]

I'm struggling to find a difinitive answer. I know Pangea effectively dried out due to the dry conditions in the late Permian, but was that really heat or was that due to the vast super continent being isolated from the ocean?

 

[TJ99]

Probably the Hadean (first part of the Precambrian), since the earth's crust was still molten. Doesn't get much hotter than that.

 

[thestaggy]

Probably the Hadean (first part of the Precambrian), since the earth's crust was still molten. Doesn't get much hotter than that.

Yeah, noob moment there. But I was thinking in terms of life sustaining so I guess that is why I overlooked the actual moment of earths formation. If we go by life sustaining then it would be the Archean Eon, no? Obviously cooler than the Hadean but would still be baking.

 

[TJ99]

That would be my guess. When the first life emerged, the earth wouldn't have been a very hospitable place for us.

 

[w1z4rd]

Yeah, noob moment there. But I was thinking in terms of life sustaining so I guess that is why I overlooked the actual moment of earths formation. If we go by life sustaining then it would be the Archean Eon, no? Obviously cooler than the Hadean but would still be baking.

Dont remember, life back in those stages would have been completely different. I was reading about extreme heat tolerant bacteria that existed. I have been reading that many animals went extinct through some of the bigger climate fluctuations. In one such even the dinosaurs and 50% of all animals became extinct because they were unable to adapt to the change.

 

[thestaggy]

Dont remember, life back in those stages would have been completely different. I was reading about extreme heat tolerant bacteria that existed. I have been reading that many animals went extinct through some of the bigger climate fluctuations.

Oh yeah.

According to Wikipedia free oxygen producing stromatolites along with bacteria are the first forms of early life to appear in the fossil record and they are dated back to 3.5 billion years ago in the case of stromatolites.

 

[w1z4rd]

Oh yeah.

According to Wikipedia free oxygen producing stromatolites along with bacteria are the first forms of early life to appear in the fossil record and they are dated back to 3.5 billion years ago in the case of stromatolites.

Yeah. I know there were extremophiles alive back there. The point I am trying to make it it would not support most life today.

About 4.1 billion years ago, the Earth’s surface — or crust — began to cool and stabilize, creating the solid surface with its rocky terrain. Clouds formed as the Earth began to cool, producing enormous volumes of rainwater that formed the oceans. For the next 1.3 billion years (3.8 to 2.5 billion years ago), the Archean Period, first life began to appear and the world’s landmasses began to form. Earth’s initial life forms were bacteria, which could survive in the highly toxic atmosphere that existed during this time.

http://www.ecology.com/2011/09/10/earths-beginnings-origins-life/

 

[Unhappy438]

Fascinating creatures, have a look at the temperatures they can withstand. They can even survive the vacuum of space

 

[thestaggy]

Fascinating creatures, have a look at the temperatures they can withstand. They can even survive the vacuum of space

Wow! Now that is impressive.

 

[Solarion]

Fascinating creatures, have a look at the temperatures they can withstand. They can even survive the vacuum of space

Wonder if some bacteria fell to earth from early meteorites? Think I read this somewhere.