Consequently, the amount of oxygen in the air determines how big bugs can grow. Get too big, and the oxygen can’t diffuse into the body fast enough. This even shows up in the fossil records, with larger bugs being found alongside evidence of eras that had more oxygen in the atmosphere.
Currently oxygen is about 20% of the atmosphere. In the Carboniferous period, 60 million years ago, it’s thought to have gotten as high as 30%.
Oxygen is highly reactive, and the 02 configuration is not particularly stable, so over time it gets locked up in other molecules, which are then burred or deposited at the bottom of bodies of water.
AppleTea@lemmy.zip 4 months ago
Not just bees, it’s true of all insects.
Consequently, the amount of oxygen in the air determines how big bugs can grow. Get too big, and the oxygen can’t diffuse into the body fast enough. This even shows up in the fossil records, with larger bugs being found alongside evidence of eras that had more oxygen in the atmosphere.
Tlaloc_Temporal@lemmy.ca 4 months ago
They aren’t insects, but most arachnids have book lungs, which are basically a pocket full of air gills.
Korhaka@sopuli.xyz 4 months ago
How much was the oxygen and where has it gone since then?
AppleTea@lemmy.zip 4 months ago
Currently oxygen is about 20% of the atmosphere. In the Carboniferous period, 60 million years ago, it’s thought to have gotten as high as 30%.
Oxygen is highly reactive, and the 02 configuration is not particularly stable, so over time it gets locked up in other molecules, which are then burred or deposited at the bottom of bodies of water.