Over 3.5 billion years have passed since Earth’s formation, demonstrating the planet’s resilience in the vast cosmos. Five major extinctions have passed since the formation of this blue planet, which is still home to an incredible variety of life forms. Even though the planet has experienced significant abrasions and the Great Oxidation Event, life has continued, proving how resilient it is. A recent NASA study that was published in Nature Geoscience, however, suggests an event that could upset this long-standing equilibrium.

The Unexpected Danger

The biggest threat to life as we know it is not an errant asteroid or the way the current climate change is affecting oxygen levels. Rather, the research indicates that the source of the problem is found within our solar system. The effects of solar activity will start to show themselves in about a billion years, and they have the potential to cause the extinction of all life on Earth.

A Prolonged Farewell

Though a slow one, the process is unavoidable. The study forecasts a drop in oxygen concentrations brought on by variations in solar activity. As a result, atmospheric carbon dioxide would disintegrate, which is a necessary component for life forms to produce oxygen. It is anticipated that the process of deoxygenation will take approximately 10,000 years, during which time oxygen-producing organisms and life as we know it will become extinct.

Time is in our favor

Even though it’s predicted that this apocalypse will occur in a billion years, there is still time for humanity. Time to observe, time to comprehend, time to plan. We have the opportunity to plan alternate survival techniques as long as human activity continues to have an impact on the environment in order to guarantee that life—in whatever form—continues to flourish.

Even though it can be frightening to consider a world without oxygen, it is a potent reminder of the delicate balance that keeps life on Earth possible. It pushes us to take care of this planet, to recognize its boundaries, and to strive for a time when life persists despite all obstacles.