Earth has a natural thermostat and scientists finally know how it works
New research reveals that Earth's climate has been regulated for millions of years by a feedback loop involving sea levels, phosphate availability, and carbon burial in marine sediments. This mechanism explains how the planet maintained habitability despite fluctuating atmospheric carbon dioxide levels.
Why it matters
Understanding these long-term natural climate regulators provides critical context for current anthropogenic climate change and the Earth's geological history.
Earth appears to have a natural climate control system that has helped keep the planet habitable for more than 100 million years. Scientists have long known that this system exists, but the mechanisms behind it have remained difficult to explain.
The article presents geological research findings in a neutral, academic context.
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