🔬 Science Sep 11, 2026 · Fanni Daniella Szakál

Why Do These Fossil Shells Flip Their Spirals Every Few Millennia?

Quanta Magazine
Quanta Magazine science
View Channel →
Why Do These Fossil Shells Flip Their Spirals Every Few Millennia?
Source ↗ 👁 11 💬 0
For thousands and sometimes millions of years, marine plankton all over the world built their spiral shells in one direction. Then, suddenly, the spirals switched direction at the same time, everywhere, only to switch back again later. These microorganisms are types of foraminifera, or forams. Found in all oceans, from the tropics to high latitudes, they’re among the most abundant eukaryotic…
Source

Comments (0)

Sign in to join the discussion

More Like This

Timing of Climate Science Reports Ignites a Hot Fight at U.N. Talks
NYT > Science · 1d ago
SpaceX Aims for Starship Launch on Friday. Here’s What to Know.
NYT > Science · 1d ago
📰
These Male Dolphins Do Something Rare: Day Care
NYT > Science · 1d ago
Week in wildlife: Scottish beavers, running giraffes and good news for dormice
Environment | The Guardian · 2d ago
Cop31 live: Climate crisis negotiations heat up on fifth day of talks
Environment | The Guardian · 2d ago
Children’s exposure to home wood-burning could be as significant as traffic exhaust, study suggests
Environment | The Guardian · 2d ago