Ancient Australian fossils indicate that the earliest eukaryotes depended on oxygen, providing new evidence that…
Browsing: Oxygen
Oxygen is a chemical element with the symbol O and atomic number 8. It is a highly reactive non-metal and an oxidizing agent that readily forms oxides with most elements and compounds. Oxygen is vital for life on Earth; it is a key component of cellular respiration for most terrestrial life forms and a critical component of the Earth’s atmosphere, making up approximately 21% by volume. In the atmosphere, oxygen mainly exists as diatomic molecules (O2), but it also occurs as the triatomic molecule ozone (O3), which plays a crucial role in protecting Earth from harmful ultraviolet radiation. Beyond biological processes, oxygen is used in various industrial applications, including steelmaking, welding, and as a propellant in rocketry. Its ability to support combustion makes it essential in energy production and medical settings, where it supports breathing in clinical treatments.
A new approach reveals unexpected ways oxygen can bind to rare metals. Iron plays a…
Billions of years ago, oxygen began to appear in Earth’s atmosphere, reshaping the planet and…
Hundreds of millions of years ago, Earth’s first forests helped pump oxygen into the deep…
A new study reveals significant changes in the global freshwater oxygen cycle. Rivers, streams, lakes,…
Tibetan women on the high Tibetan Plateau have adapted to their oxygen-scarce environment over thousands…
Northwestern researchers discovered a nanoscale method to generate water using palladium, opening possibilities for space…
Researchers from Boston University have made a startling discovery: rocks are producing “dark oxygen” in…
The AnoxyGen project, led by Christian Hertweck and funded by the ERC Advanced Grant, explores…
Scientists discover metallic minerals split water to generate ‘dark oxygen’. An international study reveals that…
Researchers from the University of Copenhagen have revealed how the Cambrian ‘SPICE’ event caused significant…
Earth’s “Great Oxidation Event” was spread over 200 million years, according to recent discoveries. New…
Enhanced oxygen levels in the tropical ocean during an abrupt global warming event in geological…
New findings from the James Webb Space Telescope reveal a surprising abundance of oxygen in…
Scientists have discovered a pivotal role of oceanic anoxia in the Triassic–Jurassic mass extinction, indicating…
Riding with the Perseverance rover, the instrument has proved to be a viable technology for…
Physicists have observed oxygen-27 and oxygen-28 for the first time, revealing unexpected nuclear properties and…
One in every ten breaths you take contains oxygen produced by cellular mechanism in microscopic…