00:00Life on a planet with high oxygen content would be a crazy and exhilarating experience.
00:06Imagine breathing a big breath and feeling like you've swallowed an espresso.
00:11The sky is a deep blue and the trees around you are gigantic, luxurious and green.
00:16They grow at an accelerated speed.
00:21Daily exercise is now a child's play.
00:24With all this extra oxygen, you can run faster, jump higher and lift heavier weights.
00:29Your morning jogging requires almost no effort.
00:32And you notice that everything seems to move faster and with more energy.
00:38But you also have to pay attention to the fauna.
00:41The animals around you have become huge and they move at an increased speed and agility.
00:47Can you imagine being chased by a cheetah doped with oxygen?
00:51A real Ferrari on legs?
00:56But how is this even possible?
00:58And how would high levels of oxygen influence the evolution of the planet and our life in general?
01:04To answer this question, you have to understand how oxygen works.
01:10Oxygen is a bit like the fuel that powers the engines of life.
01:14It is a gas that surrounds us, making up about 21% of the air we breathe.
01:19And don't let this small percentage deceive you.
01:21Every time you breathe, these small molecules have a priority access to the cells of your body.
01:27They assist in their energy production.
01:30Without oxygen, your cells would not have the energy necessary to function properly.
01:35And your body would slow down to the point of death.
01:39Oxygen is also incredibly versatile.
01:42It is used by a whole bunch of organisms, from small bacteria to massive elephants.
01:47It is even found in the ocean.
01:49Marine organisms such as plankton and algae produce tons of oxygen, feeding all underwater life.
01:58And it is not just an essential component of life on Earth.
02:01It is also a fountain of youth.
02:04Oxygen gives us a sparkling skin and a lively spirit.
02:08So don't forget to walk more often in the fresh air.
02:13But this is only the beginning.
02:14Oxygen is a big worker, which simultaneously performs a multitude of different functions.
02:21To begin with, it is like the concierge of the atmosphere.
02:24It cleanses all harmful pollutants and preserves the freshness and cleanliness of the air.
02:31It is also the bodyguard of our atmosphere.
02:34We protect UV rays and other cosmic dangers.
02:38Without it, we would be easy targets for space radiation.
02:45And let's not forget the impact of oxygen on the weather.
02:48It is a puppeteer who pulls the strings of the atmosphere to create all kinds of extravagant meteorological patterns.
02:55Tornadoes, hurricanes, storms are all products of the work of oxygen.
03:00And of course, these phenomena are incredibly dangerous.
03:04But they also help to redistribute nutrients and organic matter by raising and transporting the earth, leaves and other debris from region to region.
03:14Thus, they help to fertilize the soil and provide nutrients for plants and other organisms.
03:22As you can see, small molecules of oxygen work hard to keep everything in balance.
03:28So, what would happen if we suddenly increased the levels to 30, 40 or even 50%?
03:39In fact, too much oxygen can become very dangerous.
03:43There is what is called the toxicity of oxygen.
03:46It can lead to a whole series of quite serious symptoms and very big problems.
03:51It's like when you eat too much candy.
03:54It's good at first, but you regret it a little later.
03:59It may seem surprising, but if you get too much oxygen, you will be out of breath.
04:03You may feel very good at first, but quickly you will begin to be dizzy, as if you had danced for hours without taking a break.
04:11In addition, too high levels of oxygen can be toxic for your body.
04:16It can give you the feeling of being hit by a truck.
04:22In fact, something similar happened on Earth many years ago.
04:27This type of environment existed during the Carboniferous period, when plants began to grow on the ground.
04:34At that time, oxygen made up 20% of the atmosphere, about as much as it does today.
04:40But it continued to increase over the next 50 million years, reaching a rate of 35%.
04:47This had some effects on the planet.
04:52About 300 million years ago, huge forests were born and huge swamps dominated the lowlands.
05:00But as these giant plants decomposed, something strange happened.
05:05The level of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere dropped.
05:10Normally, when something rots, the microbes decompose it and produce carbon dioxide.
05:16This gas helps us capture the heat of the sun and makes the planet warmer.
05:20But when these giant plants were buried in the deep swamps, the microbes could not do their job.
05:26All this made our planet much colder.
05:29Who would have thought that something as simple as a breath of fresh air could have such an important impact?
05:37But this period of life on Earth helped us understand what our planet would look like if the oxygen level was much higher.
05:44And here's what we learned.
05:46We have already talked about the recovery of initial energy and the exhaustion that follows it.
05:51We would therefore need to wear special masks or respirators to continue to live properly.
05:58Such an environment could also help you heal faster.
06:02It's as if you had a team of little doctors inside your body.
06:06But the downside is that it could also make you sick.
06:11And with all this oxygen, we could admire really spectacular sunsets and sunrises.
06:17The excess oxygen in the atmosphere would disperse the light in a new fascinating way,
06:22creating dazzling colors in the sky.
06:27And what would happen if we did not wear masks?
06:30What would happen if we did not wear masks?
06:33What would happen if we did not wear masks?
06:36What would happen if we did not wear masks?
06:39What would happen if we did not wear masks?
06:42What would happen if we did not wear masks?
06:45What would happen if we did not wear masks?
06:48What would happen if we did not wear masks?
06:51What would happen if we did not wear masks?
06:54What would happen if we did not wear masks?
06:57What would happen if we did not wear masks?
07:00What would happen if we did not wear masks?
07:03What would happen if we did not wear masks?
07:06What would happen if we did not wear masks?
07:09What would happen if we did not wear masks?
07:12What would happen if we did not wear masks?
07:15What would happen if we did not wear masks?
07:18What would happen if we did not wear masks?
07:21What would happen if we did not wear masks?
07:24What would happen if we did not wear masks?
07:27What would happen if we did not wear masks?
07:31But for species that have adapted to lower oxygen levels,
07:34things would not go so well.
07:37Mammals, for example, would have some difficulties.
07:40And this would lead to a change in the balance of forces
07:43between the different species,
07:45some thriving and others struggling to survive.
07:49Overall, we would see rather cool changes,
07:52birds developing the ability to fly higher than ever, for example.
07:56Facing these large animals would be both exciting and very difficult.
08:00We would have to build more solid shelters
08:03and keep us away from these huge beasts.
08:07All this could also lead to an increase in natural disasters
08:10and to a degradation of ecosystems and fauna.
08:13Fires would start more quickly and burn with intensity,
08:16making forest fires a constant threat.
08:19Even a simple spark from a campfire
08:22could potentially lead to a catastrophe.
08:26So we would have to rethink our cooking and heating methods
08:29to avoid accidents.
08:32In fact, if we lived on a planet with less oxygen,
08:35let's say about 15%, we would also have problems.
08:38For example, our bodies would have to work much harder
08:41to get the same amount of oxygen they currently get.
08:44We would get tired and out of breath much faster.
08:47And doing exercise would be much more arduous.
08:50We would also have some memory problems
08:53and concentration issues.
08:56So, the amount of oxygen we currently have
08:59is the most ideal, let's appreciate it.
