The massive emission of oxygen by plants dramatically increases the element’s presence in Earth’s atmosphere. The number of minerals and compounds on Earth expands from 250 to 1,500 due to the turbulence of plate tectonics, and then to about 4,500 thanks to oxygen compounds (such as the salts and acids it produces). And if we count the compounds directly generated by life, this diversity expands to over 5,000. The advent of human technology will further expand this number.
