The "Cambrian explosion", what caused it?

[GennGreymane]

No, not an explosion in the Michael Bay sense. The Cambrian explosion is an event in evolutionary history where a huge boom of diversity (trigger warning) of phyla (the next ranking below kingdom in classifying life)

But what caused this? What caused, in this short period of time, such an abrupt explosion in new organisms?

[Kalcheus]

In before "Aliens"

My guess is that it's actually a "failure" of the fossil record, in that we're seeing an incomplete picture of diversity prior to the Cambrian radiation.

[Blobfish]

The new existence of Oxygen maybe..??
Wasn't around at the time

Need a quaternary scientist to answer this one

[Deleted]

Jesus did it.

With a time machine.

[GennGreymane]

In before "Aliens"

My guess is that it's actually a "failure" of the fossil record, in that we're seeing an incomplete picture of diversity prior to the Cambrian radiation.

I wouldn't say failure. That is a pretty high threshold since getting a compete record is a task that is very dependent on luck. Especially when dealing with erosion, cataclysmic events, natural disasters, etc.

- - - Updated - - -

The new existence of Oxygen maybe..??
Wasn't around at the time

Need a quaternary scientist to answer this one

Where were you at the time then?

- - - Updated - - -

Jesus did it.

With a time machine.

And then he said to his disposals, DUUUUUUDDDE TOTALLY CHECK OUT THIS DINOSAUR! EXCELLENT!

[dubious_doomhammer]

"Let me google that for you"

https://lmgtfy.com/?q=what+caused+th...rian+explosion

[Infracted]

[Xeones]

Aliens. That guy on history told me.

[Cerilis]

Wasnt that because of some favourable climate conditions or something?

Hey, you! The Google-guy! Tell us!

[Flarelaine]

In before "Aliens"

My guess is that it's actually a "failure" of the fossil record, in that we're seeing an incomplete picture of diversity prior to the Cambrian radiation.

I second this.

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The new existence of Oxygen maybe..??
Wasn't around at the time

Need a quaternary scientist to answer this one

The Oxygenation event happened about four times as long a time ago as the Cambrian.

[Cerilis]

Wait, how did nobody answer "your mom" yet?!

[Ratyrel]

The new existence of Oxygen maybe..??
Wasn't around at the time

Need a quaternary scientist to answer this one

While the obvious answer is the attainment of a criticial level of ocean oxygenation, I believe it may also have something to do with molybdenum.

http://www.rsc.org/education/eic/iss...molybdenum.asp

[Anardel]

The new existence of Oxygen maybe..??
Wasn't around at the time

Need a quaternary scientist to answer this one

Oxygen was in the Cambrian and before the Cambrian, but in a lower quantity than today. In fact the O2 content in the atmosphere changed through time, in the Carboniferous (aka Missisipian and Penssilvanian in USA) the O2 was twice as today.

The Cambrian explosion or evolutionary radiation is a perception giving by the suddenly variety of fossils we found because they developed mineralized hard parts so the can be fossilized easily (and become recognizable).
If you look for the Ediacaran fauna you can see a variety of organisms but because they're composed by soft parts we can't even say which are animals or plants or even the ones that are clearly animals we can't determine its phyla.

[Xandrigity]

Outside force like asteroid?

[noidentity]

Aliens. That guy on history told me.

[echoSAW]

Ponyo's dad spilled all his elixirs.

[Kalcheus]

I wouldn't say failure. That is a pretty high threshold since getting a compete record is a task that is very dependent on luck. Especially when dealing with erosion, cataclysmic events, natural disasters, etc.

That's why I put it in quotes. Besides the causes you listed there, there's also the fact that not all early life left a fossil, and who knows how much got subducted due to plate tectonics.

[Deleted]

Probably a sum of ideal enviromental conditions and some evolutionary breakthrough. Sometimes you just come up with an idea that's so good that it spreads everywhere in a relatively short time period.

Since nearly all evidence from that period has long ago eroded away, we can mostly just theorize.

[Wagar]

Is it possible these simple early life forms just developed a "new" way for energy consumption or reproducing that was far more efficient? The whole life finds a way thing.

Wouldn't this cause a "boom" in population/diversity and show as a speedy evolution over a short time?

[Grimbold21]

Gonna need Hammerfest for this one

[Shadowferal]

May have been less "explosive" and more gradual for much of what came about...all of a sudden.