Evolution of Photosynthesis: Unraveling Oxygen’s Origins

The evolution of photosynthesis marks a pivotal milestone in Earth’s biological history, fundamentally transforming our planet’s atmosphere and enabling the emergence of aerobic metabolism.This remarkable process, first introduced by cyanobacteria during the Great Oxidation Event around 2.4 billion years ago, allowed sunlight to be harnessed for energy as these microorganisms began producing substantial amounts of oxygen.