Ocean Sediments as a Record of Earth History

Ancient ocean sediments like the ones shown below can be found on land and give us a record of the history of life and geology on our planet. Sediments can be studied in outcrops like the one shown, but also can be obtained by drilling into the ocean floor and removing drill core samples. The layers of sediment can be "read like a book" if one knows how to interpret the chemical and textural features.

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