The Not-Boring Talk

Not boring at all

The element boron is not renowned among biologists, short of a few specialists who know that it is an essential nutrient for plants and an element in boromycin—an antibiotic compound produced by Streptomyces. Yet, on the whole, molecular biologists and, in particular, those in drug development seem to have little use for carbon’s left-hand neighbour in the periodic table. This is about to chang...

Not talking the talk

The British government said it would consult the public on its decision whether or not to block the introduction of genetically modified crops following analysis of a series of field trials which will be completed this month. But their efforts have drawn scorn from the media and opponents as Nigel Williams reports.

Repetitive perhaps, but certainly not boring

The Mesoproterozoic – no “boring billion”

The authors show that the Mesoproterozoic (1.6-1.0 bn year before present) was no “boring billion” but a “bustling billion” - not only with Stromatolites and their apex in the Calymmian and Ectasian but also with the presence of multicellular organisms. To make it visible a graphical reconstruction was created. For a long time, it was assumed that there existed no noteworthy biosphere on Earth ...

Not another boring lecture: engaging learners with active learning techniques.

BACKGROUND Core content in Emergency Medicine Residency Programs is traditionally covered in didactic sessions, despite evidence suggesting that learners do not retain a significant portion of what is taught during lectures. DISCUSSION We describe techniques that medical educators can use when leading teaching sessions to foster engagement and encourage self-directed learning, based on curren...