
The Cambrian explosion of animal life now seems more like a whimper - dnetesn
http://nautil.us/issue/34/adaptation/strange-worms-are-taking-their-place-on-your-family-tree
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biomcgary
The Cambrian "explosion" was based on the fact that Cambrian rocks have many
new organismal forms and body plans not found earlier in the fossil record.
Analysis of DNA sequences from currently living organisms suggests that this
diversification occurred much earlier than the Cambrian. Scientists that focus
on DNA infer that these diverse organisms simply failed to leave a fossil
record. Meanwhile, many paleontologists don't like the idea of such
substantial gaps in the fossil record.

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smaddox
Great summary. I, for one, was surprised to hear this, and yet feel like I
shouldn't have been.

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japaget
Journal Citation: Johanna Taylor Cannon, Bruno Cossermelli Vellutini, Julian
Smith, Fredrik Ronquist, Ulf Jondelius, Andreas Hejnol. Xenacoelomorpha is the
sister group to Nephrozoa. Nature, 2016; 530 (7588): 89 DOI:
10.1038/nature16520

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mchahn
I wish Gould were still alive to defend his theories.

