India, May 6 -- In the heart of peninsular India, beneath the layers of time and rock in the Godavari Basin, lies a charred archive of Earth's fiery past. Scientists have now opened that archive using a powerful blend of microscopic analysis and advanced chemistry. What they found may change the way we read Earth's geological and climatic history.

From the Late Silurian (spanning from 419.2 to 443.8 million years ago (mya) to the Quaternary (2.58 mya) period. Palaeofires left their mark on landscapes, influencing vegetation, climate, and even the formation of coal.

Scientists had long observed macroscopic charcoal in Permian coal-bearing formations across Gondwana, hinting at widespread wildfires. The Raniganj Coalfield in India was amo...