LITTLE-KNOWN HISTORY OF KERGUELEN Part One

The following is from http://www.jmooneyham.com/anthisref.html#section105

"Approximately 544,000,000 BC:

Perhaps the last of three global glaciations extending even to the Earth's equator is realizedThe Earth remains tilted 70 degrees from vertical. There is likely a large number of species extinctions now in many regions. However, while the equator is suffering glaciation, the poles are not. This results in at least some sea and land remaining sufficiently warm to allow life to more or less continue on in development.

The slow movement of tectonic plates may also be gathering continental masses around the southern pole, setting the stage for a righting of the axis tilt.

Around 544 million BC the Cambrian period began with a ten million year explosion in life diversity and size (previous to this most life consisted of microbes). It may be that the Earth's mantle shifted, imbalancing the planet and causing it to tilt on its axis.

North America began the period near to the South Pole but ended up (540 million BC- 515 million BC) on the equator. Antarctica, South America, Australia, India, and Africa were all one body called Gondwanaland, and traveled all the way across the southern half of Earth during the time (finishing the trip around 535 million BC- 500 million BC)."

Stay tuned, and you will find out how Kerguelen's history has played an important role in the history of our world.