A new method for oxygen production has been discovered, potentially transforming the search for extraterrestrial life.

Researchers from the China University of Science and Technology have discovered a new method for generating oxygen in carbon dioxide-rich atmospheres on other planets. This challenges existing assumptions about how to search for extraterrestrial life elsewhere in the universe. The new study reveals a mechanism for oxygen formation in planetary atmospheres that was not always considered viable, according to Space.

Before the significant rise in oxygen (O2) levels on Earth approximately 2.4 billion years ago, when cyanobacteria in the oceans began producing oxygen through photosynthesis, our planet's atmosphere was dominated by carbon dioxide (CO2) with only trace amounts of O2. Scientists believe that this oxygen was not produced by living organisms. This research presents a novel mechanism for oxygen emergence not only in Earth’s atmosphere but also on other worlds where the atmosphere is rich in CO2.

According to the scientists, they have found a new way to create oxygen from carbon dioxide through a chemical reaction between helium ions (He+) and CO2. Most helium ions are produced when alpha particles in the solar wind interact with molecules in the upper layers of the atmosphere. When these ions react with carbon dioxide, it can lead to the formation of molecular oxygen, or O2. The researchers suggest that such a reaction could be observed in the upper atmosphere of Mars, which is rich in carbon dioxide.

The discovery of this new method for producing molecular oxygen was achieved through experiments in which CO2 and He+ were intersected under controlled conditions within a specialized setup.

The scientists gained a comprehensive understanding of the chemical reaction that leads to oxygen formation from the two components mentioned above.

For a long time, researchers have been studying atmospheric oxygen on other planets, which may indicate the presence of extraterrestrial life. After all, the majority of oxygen on Earth is produced by living organisms.

Now, the research indicates that a significant amount of oxygen in planetary atmospheres could be generated without the involvement of living organisms. Therefore, if similar mechanisms for oxygen production are functioning on other planets with CO2-rich atmospheres, oxygen could exist there even in the absence of extraterrestrial life.

The scientists now plan to observe the atmospheres of other worlds beyond our Solar System to validate their findings.