Galactic Motion Modulates Evolution

A new preprint (Ozsvárt et al.) argues the Sun’s vertical oscillation around the Milky Way alters Earth’s cosmic‑ray flux, which in turn changes mutation rates in ocean microplankton and maps onto long‑term diversity fluctuations. Microplankton sit at the base of marine food webs, so small shifts in mutation dynamics could cascade through marine evolution. — It proposes an astronomical driver of biodiversity change, reframing how we explain evolutionary rhythms and linking space physics to Earth’s biological history.