The strength of Earth’s magnetic field seems to rise and fall hand-in-hand with the abundance of oxygen in its atmosphere, a study of geological records spanning the last half billion years has found.
Explaining the link could help to reveal fundamental trends in the evolution of life on Earth — and could show astronomers the most promising places to look for signs of complex life on other planets. But it is so far unclear whether Earth’s magnetism plays direct a role in keeping oxygen levels high — and sustaining animal life — or whether both are influenced by a third, unidentified mechanism.
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