A new study published in Nature has revealed the oldest known genetic record of animals. The team of researchers from the University of Bristol and the Natural History Museum London used ancient DNA in fossilized remains to trace the origins of animals back to the Cambrian Explosion. This event, which occurred around 541 million years ago, marked a rapid diversification of animal life on Earth. The findings suggest that the ancestors of modern animals were present in the oceans a full 20 million years earlier than previously thought. This pushes the dawn of animal life back to around 561 million years ago.

Read Full Article Here

source: Phys.org