According to BGR, discovering the origin of life on Earth has been a goal for scientists for decades. However, much of this has remained theoretical and difficult to validate.
A recent study published in the journal Geobiology suggests that current textbook theories regarding this issue may be incorrect.
For many years, textbooks have taught students that the influx of oxygen into the oceans helped accelerate the development and evolution of complex life on Earth. However, the new research seems to completely refute that theory.
The origin of life on Earth has always been an intriguing mystery.
To date, the most popular theory is based on the idea of the Precambrian Avalon explosion, which occurred approximately 685 – 800 million years ago, initiating a massive influx of oxygen and marking the beginning of an increasingly complex evolutionary era on Earth. However, the new study indicates that oxygen did not actually control the development of our planet.
Instead, it is likely that the amount of oxygen in the oceans was very low at the time of the explosion and remained similar afterward. This research is based on evidence found in rock samples taken from the Oman Mountains on the Arabian Peninsula. Scientists analyzed the composition of these ancient rocks using geochemical mapping and reached the aforementioned conclusion.
This revelation implies that the current theories taught in school textbooks are highly likely to be incorrect. While scientists suggest that oxygen may play some role in the evolutionary process of life on Earth, it is a mistake to overemphasize its importance.
