New theory for leap in evolution on Earth - Flinders News
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A "faecal revolution" — the idea that animal waste, not oxygen or predation, triggered a crucial leap in Earth's evolution — is upending how scientists explain the animal explosion.
Niche Construction TheoryEcosystem EngineeringEvolutionary Feedback LoopsCambrian Explosion Theory
Theory Briefing
- A new study proposes that animal faeces fundamentally reshaped Earth's environment, driving a key turning point in evolutionary history.
- The theory challenges existing explanations by placing waste — not predation or atmospheric shifts — at the centre of the animal evolution story.
- The research, backed by an ARC Discovery Early Career grant, reframes how nutrient cycling and ecosystem feedback may have accelerated animal diversification.