There are several mysteries surrounding the planet we call home. Such include the water that surrounds it, together with the moon that orbits it. When considering such elements, it is very clear to see that science is yet to discover much more than we already know. Simply put, what we know thus far may be interpreted as the tip of the iceberg.
Water
Till today, we are still unaware of how the world contains this much water, seventy percent, just to get a good idea. The Earth gets its nickname as the “blue planet” due to the abundance of water. Although provided to us in excess, we still do not know why we have as much water, especially when it is so scarce throughout the rest of our solar system. There are different theories. Some believe that water has been around since the Earth’s formation whilst others believe that several enormous asteroids filled with ice contributed to this.
Oxygen
A critical component of our existence is oxygen. It originated around 2.4 billion years ago, thanks to cyanobacteria, which released it as a waste product. Levels of oxygen increased rapidly in the earth and stabilised around five hundred and forty million years ago. Till today, we do not know how or why it stabilised suddenly.
The Cambrian explosion
Around five hundred and forty million years ago, there was an explosion of life on Earth consisting of evolution at a pace which was not recorded before. During this period, creatures formed brains, eyes and skeletons which represented a significant progression since life had mostly consisted of bacteria, eukaryotes and plants. Scientists believe that this explosion took place due to the increased levels of oxygen. Others believe that the Earth’s rising temperature and shallow aquatic environments had contributed as well.
Earthquakes
Although we are aware of the dramatic and drastic impacts of earthquakes, we are still not able to come up with a way to accurately predict them. Current technology is not yet as sophisticated and we are still incapable of determining why rocks crack underground and send seismic waves to the surface.
The dinosaurs
What really happened in the dino era and what wiped out an entire generation of dominant species remain unclear till this very day. There are only theories as to what brought an end to this remarkable species sixty-five million years ago. One popular theory is that a giant asteroid hit Earth, whilst another revolves around a series of volcanic eruptions. These would have led to dust and debris blocking the sun, impeding processes such as photosynthesis and lead to increases in the Earth’s temperature due to the harmful greenhouse gases that ensued.
What do you make of all this? Let us know your views in the comments section below.
