T1 - What is life to Cambrian Explosion

Life

Eat

Excrete

Move (questionable for all organisms)

Grow

Reproduce (requires instructions and execution of those instructions)

Respond to environmental changes (evolution via natural selection)

Extremophiles

Organisms thriving in extreme environmental conditions.

Hadean Earth

Earliest Earth period, formed 4.56 billion years ago.

Late Heavy Bombardment

Period of intense asteroid impacts, ~3.8 billion years ago.

Prokaryotes

Single-celled organisms without a nucleus, ~3.5 billion years ago.

Stromatolites

Layered structures formed by cyanobacteria, ~2.4 billion years ago.

Photosynthesis

Process converting CO2 and sunlight into oxygen and glucose.

Archaean Era

Timeframe of early life, ~3.6 billion years ago.

Eukaryotes

Organisms with complex cells and a nucleus, ~1.7 billion years ago.

Multicellularity

Organisms composed of multiple cells, evolved ~1.2 billion years ago.

Volvox

A genus of multicellular green algae, demonstrating early multicellularity.

Divergence of life

Separation of plants, animals, fungi around 960 million years ago.

Ozone Layer

Protective atmospheric layer formed from oxygen, enabling surface life.

Cambrian Explosion

Rapid diversification of life forms, ~541 million years ago.

Banded Iron Formations

Sedimentary rocks indicating oxygen presence in ancient oceans.

Axis Stability

Earth's axial tilt stability promoting climatic consistency.

Tidal Waters

Shallow coastal areas crucial for early life concentration.

Cyanobacteria

Photosynthetic bacteria responsible for early oxygen production.

Pollution Crisis

Increase in atmospheric oxygen affecting ancient life forms.

Soft-bodied Organisms

Early life forms, diversified around 600-650 million years ago.

Predation Influence

Predation driving evolutionary adaptations like eyes and niches.