The planet's magnetic field may have collapsed around 600 million years ago, enabling a major oxygenation event and perhaps supercharging evolution.

A study suggests Earth's weakest magnetic field 591-565 million years ago could have increased oxygen, aiding early life diversification.

Researchers solved the mystery about how complex creatures emerged on Earth over 591 million years ago. A weak magnetic field is the key.

A 3.7-billion-year-old rock recorded Earth’s magnetic field, and it was remarkably similar to the field surrounding Earth today.

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.

Furthermore, the researchers compared this measurement to data collected from comparable crystals created around 2,000 million years earlier. The data showed that the magnetic field was at its lowest for at least 26 million years, from 591 to 565 million years ago.

An unusual reduction in the strength of Earth's magnetic field between 591 and 565 million years ago coincided with a significant increase in the oxygen levels in the atmosphere and oceans, according to a paper published in Communications Earth & Environment.

The near collapse of Earth’s magnetic field coincided with a spike in oxygen levels and a boom in biodiversity, according to a new study.