Largely their purpose is poorly understood outside of the preliminary hypothesis of their necessity is the organisms' navigational capabilities, protective armor, structural integrity, magnetic properties, or hardness which are all shape and size dependent.
Their distinct morphology and chemical signature indicate that they must be of biogenic origin which is undisputed; however, the organism responsible for their creation and purpose is unknown.
Preliminary evidence suggests that giant magnetofossils occur during climate shifts like global warming which causes a dramatic increase in weathering and sedimentation.
Increases in weathering fuel an iron-rich environment and are associated with eutrophication of the water column which promotes biomineralization along or near the sediment-water interface in suboxic conditions.
They display high remnant capabilities highlighting their ability to remember the magnetization of the particle upon crystallization, this has potential for use as environmental proxies.