3 min read The Cambrian period, part of the Paleozoic era ... These animals hunted along the seabed, where colonies of archaic sponges grew on organic, mineral structures formed by the activity ...

This expansion might have contributed to the subsequent diversification of body plans in the Cambrian explosion. In the evolution of metazoans, sponges diverged first, followed by cnidarians ...

sponges and comb jellies. Some of the best information about early animals comes from fossils dating back to the Cambrian period, which started around 541 million years ago. During this time ...

Internal, genetic factors were also crucial. Recent research suggests that the period prior to the Cambrian explosion saw the gradual evolution of a "genetic tool kit" of genes that govern ...

A pink sponge, photographed at an aquarium today, is not unlike one of the first life forms that appeared in the Precambrian era. Photograph by Joel Sartore, National Geographic Photo Ark The ...

Some animals could likely tell the difference between light and dark, but they never knew whether that looming shadow was a friend or foe. Then, at the beginning of the Cambrian Period, life opened ...

Sponges are unsung heroes for thousands living with chronic illnesses, and they may have the potential to help many more. There are over 9,000 described species of sponge (Porifera) living in the ...

A shallow sea advances and retreats several times during this period, leaving behind the layers ... These layers of sedimentary rock were deposited in Cambrian time, when another shallow sea ...

When applying your favorite foundation or any cream-based product, the right makeup sponge can blend the color for a natural-looking finish and smooth texture. "I find that sponges are very ...

One of China's most prominent urban design thinkers and Dean of the prestigious Peking University's college of architecture and landscape, Yu Kongjian is the man behind the sponge city concept of ...

The trick to getting a sponge cake to rise is to mix the wet ingredients together before gently folding in the dry ingredients to keep air in the mixture. The creaming method, in which butter and ...