Monday, August 10, 2026
Science

Trapped gases in ancient rocks challenge global explanation for 2-billion-year-old carbon anomaly

Roughly 2.5–2 billion years ago, Earth's surface experienced the biggest chemical change in its history when oxygen became abundant in the atmosphere, eventually leading to the evolution of complex life forms such as plants and animals that emerged half a billion years ago.

Trapped gases in ancient rocks challenge global explanation for 2-billion-year-old carbon anomaly
Image: Phys.org
Roughly 2.5–2 billion years ago, Earth's surface experienced the biggest chemical change in its history when oxygen became abundant in the atmosphere, eventually leading to the evolution of complex life forms such as plants and animals that emerged half a billion years ago.

Originally published at Phys.org

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