A global change in climate could explain the explosion in marine biodiversity that took place 460 million years ago. Researchers from Lyon and Canberra (Australia) have found evidence of a progressive ocean cooling of about 15°C over a period of 40 million years during the Ordovician. Until now, this geologic period had been associated with a “super greenhouse effect” on our planet. The results from this study were published in the July 25, 2008, issue of the journal Science.

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