Supermountains, the Boring Billion, and Their Connection to Life on Earth

As both mountains eroded away, they would have dumped tremendous amounts of nutrients like iron and phosphorus into the sea through the water cycle, the researchers said. These nutrients could have significantly sped up biological cycles in the ocean, driving evolution to greater complexity. In addition to this nutrient spillover, the eroding mountains may have also released oxygen into the atmosphere, making Earth even more hospitable to complex life.
— Read on kottke.org/26/06/supermountains-the-boring-billion-and-their-connection-to-life-on-earth