NASA’s new discovery: 540 million years old magnetic rhythm that controls the oxygen levels of the Earth
NASA scientists have made such a discovery that can prove to be a big breakthrough for researchers around the world. They have discovered a 540 million years old rhythmic connection between the magnetic field of the Earth and atmospheric oxygen levels. This means that the molten core of our earth and the movement of continents have quietly been controlling the conditions necessary for the development of complex life on the surface.
Magnetic Field and Oxygen Combination
According to a new NASA analysis, for the past 540 million years, Earth’s magnetic field and oxygen levels have followed a similar pattern — sometimes up, sometimes down. This indicates that deep geological processes occurring inside Earth directly affect life on the surface.
Earth’s magnetic field is generated by movement in the molten metal core, which acts like a giant electromagnet. This field protects us from dangerous solar radiation. When this magnetic flow changes, the strength of the magnetic field also changes. Scientists have long believed that magnetic fields protect the atmosphere from solar winds, but this new study suggests that the relationship between magnetic changes and oxygen levels may be even deeper.
The story of hidden clues in mountains
To understand the history of magnetic fields, scientists have used magnetized minerals. When magma erupts from between tectonic plates and cools, a memory of the magnetic field of that time is recorded in the minerals. This record is preserved until the mineral warms up again.
One Planet, One Rhythm, Complex Life
Similarly, oxygen levels can also be estimated from ancient rocks — their chemical composition depends on the presence of oxygen. When NASA geophysicist Weijia Kuang and his team combined these two data sources and compared them, they found that magnetic fields and oxygen levels follow almost the same cycles — from the time of the Cambrian explosion to today.
Coauthor Kuang says, “Earth is the only planet where complex life exists. Our findings show that there is probably a direct connection between life and the planet’s internal processes.” The study showed that when the magnetic field was strong, oxygen levels were also high — and when the magnetic field was weak, oxygen levels also decreased.
The connection is so consistent that scientists now believe a common factor — such as continental drift — may influence both. When continents shift, they affect the core’s heat flow and convection currents, which have a direct impact on the magnetic field and then atmospheric composition.
Can we find another answer?
According to biogeochemist Benjamin Mills of Leeds University, “This correlation suggests that both magnetic field and oxygen levels may be a response to some internal Earth process.” The team now wants to study even older geological records so that this pattern can be traced to even deeper past.
In the future, researchers will analyze other life-essential gases like nitrogen — to see if they also have a connection to magnetic rhythms.
NASA planetary scientist Ravi Kopparapu says, “We have only solved one part of this mystery so far. But if we know what is needed inside to sustain life, we may find clues to life on other planets as well.”
Conclusion
This discovery is not just a scientific curiosity — it could be a hint that life on Earth was not a coincidence but a result of slow but powerful processes taking place inside the planet. If this rhythm matches with other gases, we will have a new map to understand the origin and evolution of life — not just for Earth, but perhaps for the entire universe.
The title of this research is: “Strong link between Earth’s oxygen level and geomagnetic dipole revealed since the last 540 million years” by Weijia Kuang, Ravi Kopparapu, Joshua Krissansen-Totton and Benjamin J. W. Mills, published on 13 June 2025 in Science Advances.