Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

Speciation Rates01:07

Speciation Rates

23.5K
Overview
23.5K
What is Evolutionary History?02:35

What is Evolutionary History?

44.8K
Scientists record evolutionary history by analyzing fossil, morphological, and genetic data. The fossil record documents the history of life on Earth and provides evidence for evolution. However, both fossil and living organisms offer evidence that outlines Earth’s evolutionary history.
44.8K
Gene Duplication and Divergence02:37

Gene Duplication and Divergence

8.2K
The seminal work of Ohno in 1970 popularized the idea of gene duplication and divergence. DNA sequence comparison studies reveal that a large portion of the genes in bacteria, archaebacteria, and eukaryotes was  generated by gene duplication and divergence, indicating its critical role in evolution.
The duplicated copies of the gene are called Paralogs. Paralogs with similar sequences and functions form a gene family. Across several species, a large number of gene families are...
8.2K
The Fossil Record02:56

The Fossil Record

28.5K
The fossil record documents only a small fraction of all organisms that have ever inhabited Earth. Fossilization is a rare process, and most organisms never become fossils. Moreover, the fossil record only exhibits fossils that have been discovered. Nevertheless, sedimentary rock fossils of long-lived, abundant, hard-bodied organisms dominate the fossil record. These fossils offer valuable information, such as an organism's physical form, behavior, and age. Studying the fossil record helps...
28.5K
The Colonization of Land02:22

The Colonization of Land

38.7K
Changes in the environment of the early Earth drove the evolution of organisms. As prokaryotic organisms in the oceans began to photosynthesize, they produced oxygen. Eventually, oxygen saturated the oceans and entered the air, resulting in an increase in atmospheric oxygen concentration, known as the oxygen revolution approximately 2.3 billion years ago. Therefore, organisms that could use oxygen for cellular respiration had an advantage. More than 1.5 years ago, eukaryotic cells and...
38.7K
The Evidence for Evolution02:55

The Evidence for Evolution

50.1K
Genetic variations accumulating within populations over generations give rise to biological evolution. Evolutionary changes can result in the formation of novel varieties and entire new species. These changes are responsible for the diverse forms of life inhabiting the planet. The evidence for evolution suggests that all living organisms descended from common ancestors.
50.1K

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

A marine stem-myriapod from the Silurian Waukesha Lagerstätte, Wisconsin, USA: terrestrial traits pre-date the transition to land.

Proceedings. Biological sciences·2026
Same author

Richard Fortey obituary: palaeontologist, author and TV presenter who traced continents through fossils.

Nature·2025
Same author

Cretaceous lacewing larvae with binocular vision demonstrate the convergent evolution of sophisticated simple eyes.

Insect science·2025
Same author

New Silurian aculiferan fossils reveal complex early history of Mollusca.

Nature·2025
Same author

A pyritized Ordovician leanchoiliid arthropod.

Current biology : CB·2024
Same author

Controls on authigenic mineralization in experimental Ediacara-style preservation.

Geobiology·2024
Same journal

Hunting ecology predicts eye arrangements in the modular visual system of spiders.

Current biology : CB·2026
Same journal

Sub-second fluctuations between top-down and bottom-up modes distinguish diverse human brain states.

Current biology : CB·2026
Same journal

Queen bees offload pesticide burden to eggs when social buffering is overwhelmed.

Current biology : CB·2026
Same journal

Pitch selectivity in ferret auditory cortex.

Current biology : CB·2026
Same journal

A cell size-dependent competition between geometry and polarity governs nuclear and spindle positioning in early embryos.

Current biology : CB·2026
Same journal

Trophic cascades drive sustainability in the agricultural heritage rice-fish coculture system.

Current biology : CB·2026
See all related articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Apr 1, 2026

Laboratory Simulation of an IronII-rich Precambrian Marine Upwelling System to Explore the Growth of Photosynthetic Bacteria
09:45

Laboratory Simulation of an IronII-rich Precambrian Marine Upwelling System to Explore the Growth of Photosynthetic Bacteria

Published on: July 24, 2016

12.4K

The Cambrian explosion.

Derek E G Briggs1

  • 1Department of Geology and Geophysics and Yale Peabody Museum of Natural History, Yale University, PO Box 208109, New Haven, CT 06511, USA.

Current Biology : CB
|October 7, 2015
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

The Cambrian explosion

More Related Videos

Generation of Marked and Markerless Mutants in Model Cyanobacterial Species
11:45

Generation of Marked and Markerless Mutants in Model Cyanobacterial Species

Published on: May 29, 2016

12.8K
Simulation of Early Earth Hydrothermal Chimneys in a Thermal Gradient Environment
06:29

Simulation of Early Earth Hydrothermal Chimneys in a Thermal Gradient Environment

Published on: February 27, 2021

4.2K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Apr 1, 2026

Laboratory Simulation of an IronII-rich Precambrian Marine Upwelling System to Explore the Growth of Photosynthetic Bacteria
09:45

Laboratory Simulation of an IronII-rich Precambrian Marine Upwelling System to Explore the Growth of Photosynthetic Bacteria

Published on: July 24, 2016

12.4K
Generation of Marked and Markerless Mutants in Model Cyanobacterial Species
11:45

Generation of Marked and Markerless Mutants in Model Cyanobacterial Species

Published on: May 29, 2016

12.8K
Simulation of Early Earth Hydrothermal Chimneys in a Thermal Gradient Environment
06:29

Simulation of Early Earth Hydrothermal Chimneys in a Thermal Gradient Environment

Published on: February 27, 2021

4.2K

Area of Science:

  • Paleontology
  • Evolutionary Biology
  • Geology

Background:

  • The 'Cambrian explosion' refers to the rapid diversification of animal life.
  • Charles Darwin noted the apparent suddenness of this event in the fossil record.
  • Darwin attributed the lack of earlier fossils to an imperfect geological record and poor preservation of soft-bodied organisms.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To re-evaluate the nature of the fossil record preceding the Cambrian period.
  • To investigate the reasons behind the perceived suddenness of the Cambrian explosion.
  • To reconcile Darwin's observations with modern paleontological findings.

Main Methods:

  • Analysis of fossil evidence from Cambrian and Precambrian rock strata.
  • Review of paleontological collections and preservation potential of ancient organisms.
  • Correlation of animal diversification with the evolution of biomineralized shells.

Main Results:

  • Discovery of numerous soft-bodied fossils from Cambrian and Precambrian periods.
  • Confirmation that the Cambrian explosion's fossil record is largely accurate, not an artifact.
  • Precambrian fossil record is sparse due to low life diversity and poor preservation potential.

Conclusions:

  • The rapid diversification of animals during the Cambrian period is a real evolutionary event.
  • The evolution of biomineralized shells played a key role in the fossil record's increased fidelity.
  • While rare, Precambrian fossils exist, reflecting a less diverse biosphere with lower preservation potential.