Editor's note
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Earlier this year, I stumbled across a wonderful phrase used by geologists: the “boring billion”. It describes a time in Earth’s early history when a series of dramatic climate changes was followed by billion years in which nothing much happened. Life had already emerged, but remained stuck as tiny algae, the were no plants or animals, and the oceans would have smelled of rotten eggs.
If I’ve learned one thing doing this job it’s that there is an academic expert on almost everything. So I looked for someone who was fascinated by the supposedly boring billion, and found Earth scientist Simon Poulton. Simon first looked into what is technically called the Proterozoic eon after he noticed similarities between Earth’s oceans then and areas of stagnant, sulphuric water today. Scientists keep uncovering new details about this
mysterious era, he says, and he can’t wait for the “boring billion” to shed its unfortunate nickname.
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Will de Freitas
Environment + Energy Editor
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Top stories
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Vladi333 / shutterstock
Simon Poulton, University of Leeds
Oxygen flooded the atmosphere for the first time and then ... nothing. Or so we thought.
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Matt Hinsta/Flickr.
Aurore Julien, University of East London
Air conditioning requires energy, and contributes to global warming – here are five ways of cooling which won't cost the planet.
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Centrosaurus
Linda Bucklin/Shutterstock
Nick Longrich, University of Bath
Fossils contain a thriving world of bacteria, proteins and perhaps even organic matter from dinosaurs.
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Science + Technology
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Jez Turner, University of Nottingham
Satellites monitor climate change, guide people with GPS and keep us connected through texts and social media, but they're under threat.
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Ahmad Beltagui, Aston University; Achilleas Sesis, Kingston University; Nikolaos Stylos, University of Bristol
Why you shouldn't be afraid: it won't steal our jobs or destroy the environment.
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Environment + Energy
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Kate Parr, University of Liverpool; Caroline Lehmann, University of Edinburgh
Ecological literacy is needed to guide global tree planting initiatives to avoid damaging some ecosystems.
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Education
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Charlotte Todd, Swansea University; Helen Davies, Swansea University; Sinead Brophy, Swansea University
Teachers are increasingly being encouraged to take mindfulness courses so that they can begin teaching it to pupils.
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Arts + Culture
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Adam Piette, University of Sheffield
Catch 22 as seen by George Clooney is just far too good looking.
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Health + Medicine
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Stephen McMahon, Queen's University Belfast
Private proton centres are targeting patients who might not see the most benefit from expensive treatments.
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Politics + Society
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Scott Lucas, University of Birmingham; Umer Karim, University of Birmingham
After Imran Khan's visit to the White House, what lies ahead for his relationship with Donald Trump?
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Featured events
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University of Essex, Wivenhoe Park, Colchester, Essex, CO4 3SQ, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland — University of Essex
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