A new study suggests the Cambrian Explosion may have been driven by the evolution of digestive tracts that produced fecal pellets, which acted as a biological pump to transport nutrients from surface waters to ocean depths. Researchers from KIT and Flinders University analyzed fossilized digestive systems and coprolites alongside ocean chemistry models to support this theory.
Background
The Cambrian Explosion ~540 million years ago marks the most rapid diversification of animal life in Earth's history, producing most major animal phyla in a geologically short span. The role of nutrient cycling and ocean chemistry in driving this event has been a long-standing topic of research.
- Source
- Ars Technica
- Published
- Aug 12, 2026 at 08:34 PM
- Score
- 7.0 / 10