Technically Speaking | a science and engineering discussion

What was the Cambrian explosion and why is it so exciting for palaeontologists?


Listen Later

The dinosaurs might take all the glory but well before they existed there was a very important period. Laura and Ellie discuss the 'explosion' in animal biodiversity that started around 541 million years ago and how we know it happened. They also speculate on what sort of animal might be missing from the fossil record and somehow come to the strange conclusion that balloon animals might have been real.

Sources of information for the factual stuff:

  • Rocks (iron) absorbed free oxygen from britannica.com
  • The study suggesting that animals left the seas as their eyes evolved and got bigger was reported on quantamagazine.com
  • The study on the oldest animal (the floppy sea-dwelling bath mat) was reported on inverse.com
  • ...more
    View all episodesView all episodes
    Download on the App Store

    Technically Speaking | a science and engineering discussionBy Techspeaking


    More shows like Technically Speaking | a science and engineering discussion

    View all
    Stuff You Should Know by iHeartPodcasts

    Stuff You Should Know

    78,475 Listeners

    Freakonomics Radio by Freakonomics Radio + Stitcher

    Freakonomics Radio

    32,011 Listeners

    TED Talks Daily by TED

    TED Talks Daily

    11,034 Listeners

    99% Invisible by Roman Mars

    99% Invisible

    26,221 Listeners

    Global News Podcast by BBC World Service

    Global News Podcast

    7,613 Listeners

    The Naked Scientists Podcast by The Naked Scientists

    The Naked Scientists Podcast

    601 Listeners

    Science Friday by Science Friday and WNYC Studios

    Science Friday

    6,407 Listeners

    The Daily by The New York Times

    The Daily

    112,426 Listeners

    Inevitable by an MCJ podcast

    Inevitable

    167 Listeners

    Overheard at National Geographic by National Geographic

    Overheard at National Geographic

    9,971 Listeners

    You're Dead to Me by BBC Radio 4

    You're Dead to Me

    3,151 Listeners

    The Rest Is History by Goalhanger

    The Rest Is History

    15,261 Listeners

    The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart by Comedy Central

    The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart

    10,794 Listeners

    Catalyst with Shayle Kann by Latitude Media

    Catalyst with Shayle Kann

    267 Listeners