RSES Seminar Series 2024-06-20 Indrani Mukherjee (UNSW)

A billion years of geological drama: boring or brilliant?
Indrani Mukherjee (UNSW)
Abstract: The conventional perception of the Paleo-Mesoproterozoic era (2000-1000 million years ago) as the "Boring Billion" has often overshadowed critical milestones in biological evolution. Despite evidence suggesting significant events such as eukaryogenesis, this period is characterized as one of geostability that supposedly hindered macroscopic evolution. However, recent geological discoveries challenge this consensus, revealing a dynamic era with profound impacts on the evolution of complex life. In this presentation, I will delve into the latest research that reinterprets geological trends and evolutionary history during the "Boring Billion". This research underscores the interplay of abiotic factors, including plate tectonics, atmosphere-ocean redox structures, and marine nutrient cycles, in shaping the course of biological evolution. My research presents an alternative way of interpreting geological trends and evolutionary history of complex life. The talk aims to present the audience an opportunity to make their own assessment of a billion years of Earth’s history.