New fossil discoveries in China's Jiangchuan Biota reveal complex animal groups coexisting with Ediacaran species just before the Cambrian explosion. The findings challenge the theory of a sudden mass extinction and suggest a more gradual transition between these evolutionary periods. The well-preserved fossils include over 700 species, providing unprecedented detail about pre-Cambrian life.
Background
The Cambrian explosion around 540 million years ago marks when most major animal groups first appear in the fossil record, but the origins and preceding evolutionary history remain poorly understood. Ediacaran period fossils (635-540 million years ago) typically show strange organisms with unclear relationships to modern life.
- Source
- Ars Technica
- Published
- Apr 3, 2026 at 02:00 AM
- Score
- 7.0 / 10