What triggered the Cambrian Radiation?

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• Rachel Wood, University of Edinburgh
• Thursday 12 March 2026, 13:00-14:00
• Part II Lecture Theatre, Department of Zoology.

If you have a question about this talk, please contact jwm57.

The Cambrian radiation of animals started ca. 550 million years ago, and was terminated by the first mass extinction of the Phanerozoic. The unicellular ancestors of animals possessed similar genes to those implicated in the development of animal traits, so why did it take so long for animals to appear and become ecologically dominant? I will explore the role of oxygen in creating habitable space for animals to diversify, and show that this radiation was not linear, but cyclical.

This talk is part of the Zoology Departmental Seminar Series series.

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• Part II Lecture Theatre, Department of Zoology
• Zoology Departmental Seminar Series

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