A new type of article for Terra Nova

Abstract

We very rarely take your time (or space in this journal) by writing an editorial piece. However, this is an exception for a very good reason. We are excited to announce the introduction of Focus articles, a new type of paper. Focus articles are mini-reviews that focus on a particular concept or example, addressing specific questions and introducing the reader to the current thinking on the topic. Focus articles are typically 3000–4000 words long, less than half the length of a typical Review paper, and therefore fit neatly between them and the short-format of Terra Nova research articles. In keeping with our goal of publishing articles that appeal to a broad general readership, we trust that our Focus articles will introduce readers from a broad range of disciplines to new topics. Our first Focus article appears in this issue. Patrick Meister from the University of Vienna examines the deep biosphere and comes to a conclusion that may shock many Earth Scientists. The massive amount of microbial life existing below the seafloor has an immense impact on global geochemical cycles. Therefore we need to understand its details now and in the past. For most of us, the doctrine that ‘The present is the key to the past’ allows us to interpret geological history from a knowledge of present-day processes. However, as the Focus article explains, changes in the deep biosphere over time mean that the present is not necessarily the key to its past, and its complexities can be understood only by combining approaches from a range of different disciplines. We hope you find our first Focus article interesting and thought-provoking. If you would like to suggest any topics for future Focus articles, please contact any of us.