Boring Billion

Prehistoric Scratchpad PhBP Po10BP

Period where oxygen levels dropped and continued to decline and evolution stagnated. During this time, the Earth remained warm with no glaciations, despite supercontinent formation and breakup. The period shows unprecedented and unrepeated stability. Starts with development of Eukaryotes and ends with their diversification. Plate tectonics were stable during this time (little destruction of crust) and restarted at the end.

Classification

• Proterozoic Eon (2.50-0.541 BYA) - Eon where there was abundant microbial life in an oxygenated atmosphere.
  • Neoproterozoic Era (1000-540 MYA) - Era from which we have the first multicellular fossils.
    • Tonian Period (1000–720 MYA) - A period that saw the end of the "Boring Billion" and the continued evolution of simple life. Eukaryote predation may have driven its diversification.
  • Mesoproterozoic Era (1.6-1.0 BYA) - Era that saw the development of sexual reproduction.
  • Paleoproterozoic Era (2.5–1.6 BYA) - Era that saw the Great Oxygenation Event, followed by the first Snowball Earth period.
    • Statherian Period (1.8-1.6 BYA) - Period that marked the beginning of the "Boring Billion" years, where oxygen levels dropped and evolution stagnated.
      • Event: Boring Billion (1.8-0.75 BYA) - Period where oxygen levels dropped and continued to decline and evolution stagnated. During this time, the Earth remained warm with no glaciations, despite supercontinent formation and breakup. The period shows unprecedented and unrepeated stability. Starts with development of Eukaryotes and ends with their diversification. Plate tectonics were stable during this time (little destruction of crust) and restarted at the end.
    • Orosirian Period
    • Rhyacian Period
    • Siderian Period (2.5-2.3 BYA) - First period of the Proterozoic Eon. The Great Oxygenation Event and beginning of the Huronian Ice Age occurred at this time.

Boring Billion In the News

Boring Billion Not So Boring (Nov 2015)

• https://www.sciencenews.org/article/new-fascination-earths-boring-billion

Evolution Stuck as Slime for 1 Billion Years (Jul 2014)

• http://www.scienceinpublic.com.au/other/billionyears
• http://theconversation.com/life-on-earth-was-nothing-but-slime-for-a-boring-billion-years-23358

Caused by Slowed Tectonics? (2014)

• http://news.discovery.com/earth/ecology-and-evolution/when-slime-ruled-life-slowed-by-earths-stuck-plates-140619.htm

Sulfur Loving Microbes Blamed for Boring Billion (Sep 2009)

• http://www.usnews.com/science/articles/2009/09/30/earths-boring-billion-years-blamed-on-sulfur-loving-microbes