Gary sent in both these links. Thank you. At www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-3327264/Never-mind-Big-Bang-Life… and www.sciencetimes.com/articles/7748/20151122/life-earth-began-whiff-oxyge… … apparently, life on earth began as a result of a big breath (outgassing) of oxygen – springing from microscopic plants. There have been many theories regarding the origin of our oxgen laden atmosphere, even some that have assumed oxgen has always been part of the make-up of the Earth.
The Daily Mail provides some real journalise – never mind the big bang, life on earth began with a deep breath. Hard to beat.
Oxygen, according to a recent research paper, came from a kind of blue green algae living in shallow seas that are thought to have dominated the globe at the time – and as the Daily Mail adds, your everyday pond plants. Hope my small tadpole pond doesn't get blue green algae but the fact that the 'Great Oxidation Event' occurred simultaneously with a massive rearrangement of the continents provides the real reason (for the algae and the moving continents) – a catastrophic event of some kind.
Clear as a bell ringing inside the head.