A new study may have found a missing link that helps explain the Earth's unique oxygen-rich atmosphere—and the evolution of animal life on the planet.
This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: Conceptual model illustrating the coevolution of the phosphorus cycle and DOM oxidation during the SE (see text for detailed description of the panels). Credit: Nature (2023). DOI: 10.1038/s41586-023-06077-6 The findings in the paper "Uncovering the Ediacaran phosphorus cycle," led by a Forrest Research Foundation Fellow from The University of Western Australia and published today in Nature, could solve the mystery of why oxygen levels remained too low for animals to breathe for 90 percent of Earth's history. The first major evolutionary event of animal life occurred during an event dubbed the Shuram Excursion—between 570 and 550 million years ago—which is believed to represent a massive release of carbon dioxide…