The Source of Our Oxygen: The vast majority of Earth’s breathable oxygen (O₂) comes from the pH๏τosynthesis performed by ocean-dwelling plankton, phytoplankton, and plants on land. This process has maintained a stable atmospheric oxygen level of about 21% for millions of years.

The “End of Oxygen” in the Far, Far Future: The concept of Earth “running out of oxygen” is based on very long-term astrophysical models, not current events. A famous 2021 study from Japan, often misattributed to NASA, used complex climate models to project the fate of Earth’s atmosphere billions of years from now. Their findings suggested that in about 1 billion years, a brightening sun will begin to break down carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, starving plants and phytoplankton. This would eventually halt oxygen production. The study proposed that atmospheric oxygen could drop to levels insufficient for complex life long before the planet becomes uninhabitable from heat.

NASA’s Actual Focus: NASA’s current research focuses on pressing, human-caused changes to our planet’s systems, such as:

• • Climate Change: Driven by greenhouse gases like CO₂, not a lack of O₂.

  • Deforestation and Ocean Acidification: These processes can stress the ecosystems that produce our oxygen, but we are not imminently “running out.”

  • Monitoring Planetary Health: NASA satellites track global systems to provide data for informed environmental policy.

What is the Real Concern?

The immediate threat is not the total depletion of oxygen. The real, urgent concerns are:

• Climate Change: The rapid warming of the planet due to CO₂ emissions.

• Biodiversity Loss: The destruction of forests and ocean ecosystems that are vital for maintaining the balance of our atmosphere.

• Localized Air Pollution: In many cities, pollution can make air unhealthy to breathe, but this is different from a global loss of atmospheric oxygen.

In summary:

While fascinating scientific models explore the fate of Earth’s atmosphere billions of years from now, the headline “NASA warns Earth is running out of oxygen” is a significant misrepresentation. It distracts from the genuine and urgent environmental challenges we face today. The scientific community is focused on the human-caused impacts happening now, not an imminent, global oxygen crisis.