Comment by qwerty_clicks

This is a bit too simplistic and frankly bizarre without accounting for the whole earth system or well established science. Petroleum geologists have very we characterized that association of clays with organic carbon. Finding source rock is #1 in O&G exploration. Additioanlly, there is clear evidence for orbital forcing of climate via milankovich cycles. Pinning it all on plate tectonics is strange without mentioning other factors. It doesn’t really lay out that erosion of mineral rich rocks and high bathymetric relief are associated with organic production. Also that preservation is associated with rapid burial from higher rainfall/erosion and basin containers also in found in tropical transpressional and convergent margins. Additionally cooling temps may create a differential that increases ocean currents momentum and rate of upwelling (thus more production and preservation). This is well known in the Miocene and other periods. Because this happens near the tropics (there is erosion, life, and so on at the poles due to lower differentials) is not news. Overall are very unique situations where organic carbon is preserved, some can be associated with clays and some ice ages. But far from a paradigm shift. I think it’s just a bumbled headline.