Free Republic 3rd Qtr 2025 Fundraising Target: $81,000 Receipts & Pledges to-date: $15,561
19%  
Woo hoo!! And now only $639 from reaching 20%!! Thank you all very much!! God bless.

Keyword: cryogenianperiod

Brevity: Headers | « Text »
  • A Much Earlier Start for Animals

    02/04/2009 8:07:59 PM PST · by neverdem · 20 replies · 754+ views
    ScienceNOW Daily News ^ | 4 February 2009 | Phil Berardelli
    Enlarge ImageMolecular fingerprints. Sedimentary rock formations in Oman, like this one, contain chemical evidence of the planet's first animals, which appeared at least 635 million years ago. Credit: David Fike, Nature Where did all the animals come from? The fossil record is virtually animal-free up until the Cambrian Explosion 540 million years ago, and then--boom--thousands of critters of all shapes and sizes show up. The mystery has plagued scientists for more than a century and a half, beginning with Charles Darwin. Now, with a brilliant bit of detective work, researchers have located our missing ancestors. The problem with the...