Earth owes its breathable air to the colonization of land by moss-like plants 470 million years ago. These early plants enriched the atmosphere with oxygen, initiating a cycle that sustained oxygen levels and allowed for the development of complex life forms.
Computer simulations conducted by the University of Exeter demonstrate that ancient mosses played a vital role in achieving modern atmospheric oxygen levels by 420 to 400 million years ago. These early land plants, lacking advanced vascular systems, triggered a self-sustaining cycle of oxygen circulation between rocks, living organisms, and the atmosphere.
Without the evolution of moss, our existence would not be possible. Oxygen not only enables respiration but also generates the protective ozone layer. This discovery highlights the remarkable efficiency of the earliest land plants and their profound impact on Earth's atmosphere.
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