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Showing posts with the label Implications for Habitable Planets

The Future of Earth's Oxygen-Rich Atmosphere | a Short Review

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The Future of Earth's Oxygen-Rich Atmosphere | a Short Review  The Future of Earth's Oxygen-Rich Atmosphere | a Short Review  Introduction :  Oxygen, the vital life force sustaining our planet, comprises 21% of the Earth's atmosphere, shaping the survival of countless species.  However, Earth's atmospheric composition has undergone significant changes since its formation 4.5 billion years ago. Initially dominated by carbon dioxide, methane, and water vapor, scientists now predict a future shift back to a low-oxygen state. A Glimpse into the Future :  Published in Nature in 2021, a study forecasts this atmospheric transformation, akin to the pre-Great Oxidation Event (GOE) era 2.4 billion years ago. Despite the billion-year timeline, the shift is anticipated to occur rapidly when it eventually takes place. The Great Oxidation Event :  Revisiting the GOE, which marked the introduction of oxygen, the study suggests a regression to conditions mirroring Earth's ...