Geochemists from the University of California, Riverside, may have finally resolved a 2.3-billion-year-old planetary puzzle regarding how Earth maintained its early life-supporting atmosphere. By analyzing ancient marine rock formations, the research team discovered that a highly efficient, self-sustaining phosphorus recycling system existed within prehistoric oceans. This geological cycle continuously fueled microbial life, allowing oxygen levels to remain consistently high despite dramatic environmental fluctuations. The discovery reshapes current academic assumptions about chemical oceanography and explains how the young planet remained hospitable for millions of years.
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