A new study has revealed that the sizes of species have evolved over the last billion years. The study, published in Nature Ecology & Evolution, examined the fossil records of over 9,000 species from the Cambrian Period, which began around 541 million years ago.

The findings show that the average size of species has decreased over time, and that there is a correlation between size and extinction risk. The researchers also found that the speed at which species evolve in size is linked to the planet’s climate.

For the first time, researchers have identified a pattern of size evolution spanning over a billion years of Earth’s history. This study provides important insight into how species adapt to changing environments and provides a better understanding of why certain species go extinct.

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source: Phys.org