A new study finds oxygen may have filled the atmosphere of our Earth hundreds of millions of years earlier than what was previously thought. The findings published in the Nature journal on September 26 suggest the sunlight-dependent life akin to modern plants evolved very early in the history of our planet. The authors also suggested more worlds could be inhabited around the universe.
Researcher Sean Crowe said, “The fact oxygen is there requires oxygenic photosynthesis, a very complex metabolic pathway, very early in Earth’s history… That tells us it doesn’t take long for biology to evolve very complex metabolic capabilities.”
Crowe is a biogeochemist at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver. He analyzed levels of chromium and other metals with his colleagues. They focused on different levels of chromium isotopes.
Crowe said, “It’s exciting that it took a relatively short time for oxygenic photosynthesis to evolve on Earth… It means that it could happen on other planets ..., expanding the number of worlds that could’ve developed oxygenated atmospheres and complex oxygen-breathing life.”
