How the air we breathe was created by Earth's tectonic plates

Monday, October 27, 2014 - 06:30 in Astronomy & Space

How is it that Earth developed an atmosphere that made the development of life possible? A study published in the journal Nature Geoscience links the origins of Earth's nitrogen-rich atmosphere to the same tectonic forces that drive mountain-building and volcanism on our planet. It goes some way to explaining why, compared to our nearest neighbours, Venus and Mars, Earth's air is richer in nitrogen.

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