Earth's atmosphere gained oxygen in three phases before deep ocean oxygenation

A recent review in The Innovation presents evidence that Earth's atmosphere experienced three distinct increases in oxygen levels before the deep ocean oxygenated. This conclusion is based on sulfate's triple-oxygen isotope signatures, showing that atmospheric oxygen rises occurred earlier than previously thought, with the ocean's oxygenation lagging behind by hundreds of millions of years. The study reframes classic Neoproterozoic and Paleozoic oxygenation events as responses of the ocean rather than initial atmospheric changes.

Originally published by gnews