Snowball refrigeration of Earth's crust mimics glacial erosion.

Snowball Earth refrigeration cooled the entire crustal column, creating a cooling signal equivalent to 3–5 km of erosion during Cryogenian glaciations.

• Why it matters: Understanding whether cooling signals in thermochronology are due to erosion or climate-driven crustal cooling is crucial for accurate geological history interpretation and for insights into Earth's climate impacts.
• What they did: Thermal models simulating Cryogenian boundary conditions showed that the crust's upper quarter to half was significantly altered, producing cooling signals that resemble erosion effects without actual erosion occurring.
• The result: This finding suggests that some thermochronological data previously attributed to massive erosion, such as the Great Unconformity, may instead reflect extensive crustal refrigeration, affecting interpretations of Earth's climate history.