Earth's early climate lacked oxygen, which made it impossible for many creatures to survive. How did Earth's atmosphere become oxygen-rich? What is the chemical composition of the Earth's atmosphere?

Exploring the transformation of Earth from a volcanic hellscape to a potential birthplace of life during the Hadean era.

"If we could find a place on the moon that recorded this really old regolith material we might have a way to deduce what the early Earth's atmosphere was from direct measurements," Tarduno said.

F. Theoretical constraints on oxygen and carbon dioxide concentrations in the Precambrian atmosphere. Precambrian Research 34, 205–229 (1987). Kasting, J. F. Earth’s early atmosphere.

Fossils Life processes can change the composition of the atmosphere. Fossils can tell scientists what living things were around at different times in Earth’s history. Evidence of early plants ...

Carbon dioxide, or CO2, was likely needed in large quantities in earth’s early atmosphere to raise temperatures sufficiently to enable the onset of the earliest microbial life. That’s because ...

Fossils Life processes can change the composition of the atmosphere. Fossils can tell scientists what living things were around at different times in Earth’s history. Evidence of early plants ...

Japanese scientists have created the first-ever long-term dataset about Earth's entire atmosphere, stretching all the way to space. They hope the project will help shed light on some little ...

By exploring Yellowstone's geothermal springs, scientists discovered the microbes that reveal how life adapted to harsh conditions billions of years ago.

During which time did free oxygen begin to build up in Earth's atmosphere? In the associated video "Early Fossil Life," you can read more about these organisms and the fossil evidence for them. These ...