Small change in Earth's oxygen levels may have sparked huge evolutionary leap

New research provides the clearest evidence yet that the Cambrian explosion - a rapid burst of evolution 540 million years ago, could have been triggered by only a small increase in oxygen levels in Earth's atmosphere and shallow ocean waters.

The First Explosion of Life on Earth Made a Deep Impact

The Cambrian Explosion - around 541 million years ago - was when life and organisms really got going on planet Earth. Now new research has revealed how that explosion of life has left behind traces deep within Earth's mantle.