How did the Cambrian Explosion affect evolution?
The Cambrian period, part of the Paleozoic era, produced the most intense burst of evolution ever known. The Cambrian Explosion saw an incredible diversity of life emerge, including many major animal groups alive today. Among them were the chordates, to which vertebrates (animals with backbones) such as humans belong.
What does the Cambrian Explosion tell us about evolution?
For most of the nearly 4 billion years that life has existed on Earth, evolution produced little beyond bacteria, plankton, and multi-celled algae. But beginning about 600 million years ago in the Precambrian, the fossil record speaks of more rapid change.
Did Darwin know about the Cambrian Explosion?
Darwin did not know of such evidence, nor was he considering the “Cambrian Explosion” as it is discussed today, but his hypothesis has met the test. Trilobites and other famous Cambrian fossils were preceded by a number of creatures that “swarmed” in the prehistoric seas.
What life forms evolved during the Cambrian Explosion?
This period lasted from 541 million to 485.4 million years ago, or more than 55 million years, and marked a dramatic burst of evolutionary changes in life on Earth, known as the “Cambrian Explosion.” Among the animals that evolved during this period were the chordates — animals with a dorsal nerve cord; hard-bodied …
What is the significance of the Cambrian explosion in terms of life on Earth?
The Cambrian Period marks an important point in the history of life on Earth; it is the time when most of the major groups of animals first appear in the fossil record. This event is sometimes called the “Cambrian Explosion,” because of the relatively short time over which this diversity of forms appears.
Did the Cambrian explosion happen?
The Cambrian explosion happened more than 500 million years ago. It was when most of the major animal groups started to appear in the fossil record, a time of rapid expansion of different forms of life on Earth.
What is the Cambrian explosion an example of?
The Cambrian Explosion is a great example. Evidence for the first bacterial forms living on Earth date back to 4 billion years ago. It then took nearly 2 billion years for these unicellular organisms to get it together, as they say, and become multicellular.
What is meant by Cambrian explosion?
Cambrian explosion, the unparalleled emergence of organisms between 541 million and approximately 530 million years ago at the beginning of the Cambrian Period. The event was characterized by the appearance of many of the major phyla (between 20 and 35) that make up modern animal life.