A sudden surge in ocean oxygen levels triggered the rapid evolution of complex animals
The Cambrian Explosion saw the sudden emergence of nearly all major animal body plans in a brief geological window, likely triggered by a critical rise in ocean oxygen levels.
Approximately 541 million years ago, the fossil record underwent a dramatic transformation known as the Cambrian Explosion. In just 10 to 20 million years—a blink in geological time—complex animals with eyes, shells, and predatory behaviors appeared. Evidence suggests that oxygen levels in the ocean finally crossed a 10 percent threshold, providing the metabolic fuel necessary for active, multi-cellular life.
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