Content overview: “Deep Earth 'Excess Oxygen' in Magma May Explain Rise of Oxygen-Rich Atmosphere, Study Find”. A new study published in National Science Review reveals that molten rock deep inside Earth may hold far more oxygen than previously thought, potentially solving a long-standing puzzle about how our planet's atmosphere became oxygen-rich. Researchers found that magma can store 'excess oxygen' beyond what its chemical makeup typically allows, suggesting that this hidden reservoir could have gradually released oxygen to the surface over geological time.
The findings point to a deep-Earth source for the Great Oxidation Event, the critical period around 2.4 billion years ago when oxygen began accumulating in the atmosphere and enabled complex life to evolve. By identifying a mechanism that links mantle processes to atmospheric changes, the study offers a new perspective on Earth's planetary evolution and the conditions that made it habitable. For the complete material, the listing points back to the source inside the network.