A study published in Nature Communications reveals that ancient ocean chemistry created a self-sustaining cycle that kept oxygen levels high after they first rose. This cycle, fueled by phosphorus recycling, allowed for biological productivity and maintained oxygen in the atmosphere.
A new study suggests iron helped scientists trace Earth's oxygen and also recorded the building of mountains and the rise of land plants. The research, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, provides a more nuanced way to interpret over 1.2 billion years of Earth's history.
A team led by UMD astronomers has created the first three-dimensional temperature map of a planet orbiting another star, revealing distinct temperature zones and water vapor breakdown. The new technique lays the groundwork for future explorations of faraway planets.
Researchers linked chemical changes in seawater to volcanic activity and climate change, with a 7-fold decrease in lithium concentration over the past 150 million years. This shift is attributed to reduced seafloor hydrothermal activity, influenced by tectonic plate movements.
Researchers propose that early interactions between the magma ocean and a molecular hydrogen proto-atmosphere could have given rise to Earth's signature features, including its abundant water. The study suggests that even dry rocky material collisions would generate large quantities of water through these atmospheric-magma interactions.
Researchers have overturned the traditional view that oxygen derives from water splitting, instead finding that reactive oxygen species (ROS) produced at mineral-water interfaces are a key source of oxygen. This discovery has significant implications for understanding the evolution of Earth's atmosphere and the habitability of early life.
Researchers developed the first model of Mars' early atmosphere, linking high temperatures to ocean formation and showing water vapor condensed in the lower atmosphere, while molecular hydrogen escaped. This model supports findings from spacecraft data, indicating Mars was wet and had warm-to-hot oceans for millions of years.
A new Stanford University study suggests that rising oxygen levels may have slowed down ancient ocean extinctions. The research found that oxygen levels beyond 40% of present atmospheric levels expanded viable ocean habitat and reduced extinction rates. This discovery has implications for understanding the fate of ocean creatures in to...
Researchers found that large volcanic eruptions may have stimulated population surges of marine microorganisms, creating the first puffs of oxygen into the atmosphere. This would change existing stories of Earth's early atmosphere and has implications for extraterrestrial life and climate change.
A new study suggests that up to 40% of the early Earth's atmosphere was composed of hydrogen, creating a more favorable climate for the production of pre-biotic organic compounds. This finding contradicts traditional models and supports the idea that life may have emerged earlier than previously thought.