The way that Earth’s first animals reproduced held back life’s diversity for millions of years, until stress and competition led to the development of sexual reproduction, which in turn accelerated […]
Ediacaran
Posted inAway Teams & Field Reports, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Fossils & Paleontology, Microbiology & Virology, Origin & Evolution of Life, Press Release, Sample Return
Microfossils interpreted as animal traces were actually algae and bactéria
A reexamination of microfossils found in the Brazilian state of Mato Grosso do Sul shows that the marks previously interpreted as traces of worms or other small oceanic animals are […]
Posted inAway Teams & Field Reports, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Fossils & Paleontology, Origin & Evolution of Life, Press Release, Sample Return
Spectacular Fossil Treasure Trove Pushes Back Origins Of Complex Animals
A newly discovered fossil site in southwest China has transformed our understanding of how complex animal life emerged on Earth, revealing that many key animal groups had already evolved before […]
Posted inAway Teams & Field Reports, Biogeochemical Cycles & Geobiology, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Fossils & Paleontology, Mapping, Geodesy, Cartography, Bathymetry, Origin & Evolution of Life, Press Release, Sample Return
How Did These Strange, Ancient Earth Life Forms Turn Into Such Remarkable Fossils?
In Earth’s fossil record, soft-bodied organisms like jellyfish rarely stand the test of time. What’s more, it’s hard for any animal to get preserved with exceptional detail in sandstones, which […]
Posted inAstrogeology, Biogeochemical Cycles & Geobiology, Mapping, Geodesy, Cartography, Bathymetry, Nomenclature, Systematics, Natural History, Press Release, Water/Hycean Worlds & Oceanography
Mapping Earth During The Ediacaran Period
Earth’s Ediacaran Period, roughly 630 to 540 million years ago, has always been something of a magnetic minefield for scientists.
![Kultur von Hypomyces completus Public Domain, Quelle: US Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Systematic Botany and Mycology Laboratory, [1] Larger image](https://i0.wp.com/astrobiology.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Fungi-Set-The-Stage.png?resize=1200%2C724&ssl=1)
Posted inBiosignatures & Paleobiology, Fossils & Paleontology, Genomics, Proteomics, Bioinformatics, Microbiology & Virology, Origin & Evolution of Life, Press Release
Fungi Set The Stage For Life On Land Hundreds Of Millions Of Years Earlier Than Thought
New research published in Nature Ecology & Evolution sheds light on the timelines and pathways of evolution of fungi, finding evidence of their influence on ancient terrestrial ecosystems.
Posted inBiosignatures & Paleobiology, Fossils & Paleontology, Habitable Zones, Origin & Evolution of Life, Press Release, Water/Hycean Worlds & Oceanography
The First Animals On Earth May Have Been Sea Sponges, Study Suggests
A team of MIT geochemists has unearthed new evidence in very old rocks suggesting that some of the first animals on Earth were likely ancestors of the modern sea sponge.
Posted inAstrogeology, Away Teams & Field Reports, Biogeochemical Cycles & Geobiology, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Extinction events, Fossils & Paleontology, Mapping, Geodesy, Cartography, Bathymetry, Origin & Evolution of Life, Press Release
The Cambrian Explosion May Have Occurred Much Earlier Than Previously Thought
The Cambrian explosion was an extraordinary phenomenon in the evolution of life on the planet that led to the emergence of many animal phyla and the diversification of species. During […]
Posted inAstrogeology, Away Teams & Field Reports, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Exploration Gear & Tech, Fossils & Paleontology, Origin & Evolution of Life
One Of Earth’s Earliest Animals Discovered In The Australian Outback
By McKenzie Harris: In the shadow of South Australia’s largest mountain range beneath the outback soil lies a fossil record that reveals a rich history of life on Earth. Fossils […]
Posted inAtmospheres, Climate, Weather, Biogeochemical Cycles & Geobiology, Fossils & Paleontology, Habitable Zones, Origin & Evolution of Life, Press Release
Sea Level Changes Shaped Early Life On Earth, Fossil Study Reveals
A newly developed timeline of early animal fossils reveals a link between sea levels, changes in marine oxygen, and the appearance of the earliest ancestors of present-day animals.