The most cliché way you can describe big changes is by comparing them to a rollercoaster. But if you took a ride on Earth’s oxygen levels over history, it would make the Kingda Ka look like an ant hill. The key to our search for life outside of Earth may lie in the history of Earth’s oxygen. The change in levels of this gas points to possibilities of life occurring within the planet and the evolution of organisms. For life to exist extraterrestrially, we have to look for similar patterns. Read full article here
Research
Improving media literacy could boost trust towards the news, IMPRESS report suggests
The UK media is regulated by the likes of IPSO and Ofcom. The report by press regulator IMPRESS highlights the link between low levels of media literacy and trust in the news. The study found that three quarters of those who did not know if journalists were regulated did not trust the news. It suggests that improving media literacy is one way to stem the erosion of trust, and shows that audiences have an appetite for information on news processes. Stakeholders need to collaborate in order to rebuild trust in the news, and independent media is well placed to do this. Read full article here