Every breath we take is a silent interaction with a complex blend of gases that make up Earth’s atmosphere. From schoolbooks to scientific journals, we’ve long known that air is primarily composed of nitrogen (~78%), oxygen (~21%), argon (~0.93%), carbon dioxide (~0.04%), and trace amounts of other gases like neon, helium, methane, krypton, and hydrogen. But is that the full story? According to many scientists and atmospheric chemists, perhaps not. The Composition of Air — As We Know It Let’s recap what we already know about the components of Earth’s atmosphere: · Nitrogen (N₂): ~78% – an inert gas that dilutes oxygen and prevents rapid burning. · Oxygen (O₂): ~21% – essential for respiration and combustion. · Argon (Ar): ~0.93% – a noble gas, unreactive and used in lighting. · ...