Snail shell rings could hold prehistoric cyclone information

Key points

• Researchers have found that snail shells can provide insights into historical weather events. By studying the Biggenden banded snail in Queensland's Coalstoun Lakes National Park, scientists determined the snail's age and the weather conditions during its life.
• Elevated radiocarbon levels from 1960s nuclear tests helped date the snail, while oxygen and carbon isotopes revealed rainfall patterns, including evidence of cyclones.
• This method could help reconstruct past cyclone events, offering a new way to understand historical rainfall levels.