The Earth’s magnetic field is vital for life – without it, the Sun’s radiation would sterilize the planet. But a new study suggests we wouldn’t be here at all if that magnetic field hadn’t almost completely collapsed half a billion years ago.

The weakened magnetic field may have led to increased oxygen concentrations in our atmosphere and oceans, triggering an explosion of animal evolution.

Earth’s powerful magnetic field shields life on the planet from the severe cosmic radiation as we know it. This is what sets our blue world apart from Venus and Mars. However, the Earth’s magnetic field has not always been stable,

Earth's magnetic field nearly collapsed some 590 million years ago, presumably putting life on the planet's surface at risk of a rise in cosmic radiation. According to new research, the temporary weakening of the magnetic shielding might have been anything but a biological catastrophe.