Earth has been subjected to a tremendous amount of ultraviolet radiation, 10 times more than previously estimated

According to a recent study from the University of Leeds, when life on Earth formed about 2.4 billion years ago, our planet was really hard to support then.

Based on computer simulations, the researchers found that at one point, levels of ultraviolet (UV) radiation on the Earth's surface were 10 times higher than previously estimated.

UV radiation can cause harmful effects if exposed to too much.

The team notes that the past 2.4 billion years has been an important chapter in the evolution of the biosphere. Significant concentrations of oxygen were present in the atmosphere, and present-day levels were reached about 400 million years ago. This large enough amount of oxygen has partly opened life to more complex multicellular organisms and animals.

According to the study's lead author, Gregory Cooke, these findings suggest an evolutionary impact of UV radiation because many life forms are known to be negatively affected by strong amounts of UV radiation.

"We know that UV radiation can cause harmful effects if exposed to too much," Cooke said. "It can cause skin cancer in humans, for example. But some organisms have protective mechanisms," says Cooke. effective protection and self-healing even when exposed to UV radiation.Although elevated levels of UV radiation will not prevent the emergence or evolution of life, it serves as a selective tool, creating an advantage for organisms capable of dealing with larger amounts of UV radiation exists".

Scientists have speculated for decades that the ozone layer protected life from ultraviolet radiation when the oxygen concentration in the atmosphere was only about 1% then, compared with 20% today. However, new research does not support this theory. Through computer modeling, experts found that oxygen concentrations could have been much higher then, between 5-10% of current levels in the atmosphere.

This means that there have been periods when UV radiation levels on the Earth's surface were greater than previously assumed. Scientists believe that is something that has happened in the history of the development of the Earth.

"If our model shows scenarios for Earth's atmospheric oxygen levels, perhaps over a billion years, Earth could have been exposed to intense UV radiation," Cooke said. This could have interesting consequences for evolution. It is not known exactly when animals appeared or the conditions they encountered in the ocean or on land. However, depending on oxygen levels, animals and plants may face conditions much harsher than in the world today.We hope that insights into evolutionary impacts will gradually be revealed. revealed in the future".