Climate Connections: Why do the pH levels of the early oceans matter? And what does it tell us about Earth’s evolving habitability in the broader context of climate change?

A new study has found that ocean acidity may have prevented life on Earth from developing for the planet's first 500 million years. 

On this episode of Climate Connections, its study lead, Dr Guo Meng from the Asian School of the Environment at NTU weighs in on how ocean pH has evolved from our early days and the research by her team of scientists, on developing the most comprehensive Earth system model to date that is shedding new light on the critical role of ocean pH levels in the emergence of early life.

Her efforts so far, have given scientists a new perspective on when Earth likely became a habitable place some 4 billion years ago.

Feature produced and edited by: Yeo Kai Ting (ykaiting@sph.com.sg)
Voiced by: Emaad Akhtar
Photo credits: University of Richmond; AP/Richard Drew
Music credits: pixabay & its talented community of contributors

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