Life and the Planet
The Earth that sustains us today was born out of a few remarkable revolutions, started by evolutionary innovations and marked by global environmental consequences, including abrupt rises in oxygen and extreme glaciations. The coupled evolution of life and the planet has continued up to the present, and now includes the planet-reshaping activities of our species.
This two-day discussion meeting showcased recent progress in understanding the development of the Earth as a system.
The meeting outlined how new science can help in tying down critical uncertainties, regarding the nature and timing of past events. Finally, it explored how an improved understanding of life and the planet in the past can help us achieve future sustainability.
Presentations
Click on the speaker's names below to view the presentations:
Podcast
Listen to 'Gaia in the 21st Century' in our series of podcasts to hear James Lovelock and Lynn Margulis explain how the the Gaia hypothesis is relevant to present day challenges facing the Earth
Convenors
Professor Tim Lenton, University of East Anglia
Dr Graham Shields-Zhou, University College London
Professor Andrew Watson, University of East Anglia