Researchers from Vilnius University, led by Professor Andriy Spiridonov, have discovered that geological processes that were long considered chaotic actually follow clear rhythms. These include mass extinctions, climate catastrophes, and evolutionary leaps, which, according to a new approach, repeat at certain time intervals.
Analysis of the International Geochronological Map and scales created based on fossil remains (graptolites, ammonoids, conodonts) has shown that key events in Earth's history are not evenly distributed. They form "packages" - dense blocks of time, followed by relatively calm periods.
Spiridonov's team applied the concept of multifractals, which describe repeating patterns at different scales, to explain how global catastrophes and smaller geological events are interconnected in a hierarchical system, where small phenomena are superimposed on the "cores" of large processes.
Scientists have proposed a new concept — the “outer time limit.” This is the minimum interval during which all of the Earth’s key cycles manifest. According to calculations, it is at least 500 million years, and for a full understanding of the planet’s behavior patterns — up to 1 billion years.
The discovery not only allows us to better understand the Earth's past, but also to predict the future. If the planet's history is indeed organized according to repeating patterns, this will allow us to more accurately model climate processes and assess the risks of new extreme changes.
