NASA, ESA, and international partners are developing rovers and reactors to test oxygen production on…
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.
The Moon’s regolith contains vast oxygen reserves, potentially enough to support humanity for 100,000 years—if…
A Long Day for Microbes, and the Rise of Oxygen on Earth Virtually all oxygen…
Researchers at the University of Regensburg track the first step of the reaction of one…
With help from next-generation particle accelerators, the approach may nail down the rate of oxygen…
Take a good look at these photos: They show you 1.6 billion years old fossilized…
A new study reveals that oxygen levels during the “boring billion” period were only 0.1%…
By combining data from one of Cassini’s instruments, called CAPS (Cassini Plasma Spectrometer), researchers discovered…
Researchers have been designing a wide variety of self-propelled micromotors, many which operate using an…