“Where Did Earth’s Oxygen Come From? The Microbes That Changed the Planet”

Earth’s atmosphere didn’t always contain 21% oxygen. So where did it all come from—and why did it take billions of years to build up? 🌍

🔍 **In this video, you’ll learn:**

1. How cyanobacteria—tiny photosynthetic microbes—first evolved the ability to split water molecules and release oxygen around 3.4–2.9 billion years ago .

2. Why early oxygen took around 500 million years to accumulate, due to reactions with volcanic gases and iron-rich rocks .

3. What the Great Oxidation Event (~2.4 Ga) was and why it finally pushed oxygen into our atmosphere .

4. How tectonic processes—like crust subduction—also helped release trapped oxygen into the air .

5. How oxygen levels rose in later events (like the Neoproterozoic Oxidation, ~850–540 Ma) alongside multicellular life .

🍃 The result? The shift from “toxic to supportive” made complex life—and eventually us—possible.

👍 Like, Comment if you’re amazed by how tiny microbes shaped our planet, and Subscribe for more deep-dive science!

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