Earth's Atmosphere - Earth Discover

A photograph of the hand-guided release of a typical US Weather Service atmospheric sounding balloon, taken sometime between 1909 and 1920.

1896: Exploring the Layers of Earth’s Atmosphere – The Contributions of Teisserenc de Bort and Aßmann

Teisserenc de Bort and Aßmann's pioneering balloon experiments revealed the layered structure of Earth's atmosphere, leading to the identification of five distinct layers

This image is a high-resolution microscopic view of filamentary strands of cyanobacteria, observed through a green filter.

c. 2.5 Billion BCE: The Great Oxidation – A Transformative Event in Earth’s History

Explores the Great Oxidation, a pivotal event caused by the rise of oxygen-producing cyanobacteria, which significantly altered Earth's atmosphere and led to the extinction of many anaerobic species while paving the way for aerobic life [...]

This image displays the distinct stripes of iron-rich and silica-rich rocks, known as Banded Iron Formations, located at Fortescue Falls in Karijini National Park, Western Australia.

c. 3-1.8 Billion BCE: Decoding Banded Iron Formations – A Geological Mystery

Examines Banded Iron Formations (BIFs), which reveal early oxygenation events on Earth, linking them to the rise of oxygenic photosynthesis by cyanobacteria and the subsequent atmospheric changes.