Scientists from Toho University and NASA’s Nexus for Exoplanet System Science have run computer simulations that predict Earth’s oxygen-rich atmosphere will start disappearing in about a billion years. According to the study, published in Nature Geoscience, this will lead to a significant decline in the planet’s habitability.
The researchers used a climate model to simulate the effects of the sun’s behavior over time and found that as temperatures rise, carbon dioxide levels will drop due to CO2 absorbing heat and eventually breaking apart. This process would also destroy the ozone layer. Within 10,000 years, plants would struggle to survive, leading to their extinction, followed by the disappearance of oxygen-breathing animals.
The study estimates that Earth’s atmosphere has around 1.08 billion years left before it starts running out of oxygen. This is a much shorter timeframe than the estimated 7.2 billion years until Earth becomes completely uninhabitable. The researchers suggest that finding life may be all about catching planets at just the right moment, as even a thriving world can have periods where its atmosphere is not suitable for life.
The discovery highlights the importance of understanding Earth’s climate and atmospheric conditions to better appreciate the fragility of our planet’s habitability.
Source: https://eladelantado.com/news/earth-losing-oxygen-date