"Earth’s first complex animals were an eclectic bunch that lived in the shallow oceans between 580-540 million years ago. The iconic Dickinsonia — large flat animals with a quilt-like appearance — were joined by tube-shaped organisms, frond-like creatures that looked more like plants, and several dozen other varieties already characterized by scientists." Read More
"Certain specimens of the fossil Dickinsonia are incomplete because ancient currents lifted them from the sea floor, a team of researchers led by paleontologists at the University of California, Riverside has found. Sand then got deposited beneath the lifted portion, the researchers report, strongly suggesting that Dickinsonia was mobile, easily separated from the sea floor...
"A team of paleontologists has discovered the oldest animal with a skeleton. Called Coronacollina acula, the organism is between 560 million and 550 million years old, which places it in the Ediacaran period, before the explosion of life and diversification of organisms took place on Earth in the Cambrian. The finding provides insight into the...
"The University of California, Riverside's Mary Droser discusses why she believes teaching climate change to young students is crucial and why, despite abundant research, some people remain skeptical about global warming. In 2010 Droser, a paleontologist, received a NASA grant to develop innovative approaches for communicating climate change science to undergraduates and high school students...
" Mary Droser, a professor of geology and the chair of the Department of Earth Sciences at the University of California, Riverside, is one of the scientists featured in “First Life with David Attenborough,” which will air on the Discovery Channel Sunday, Oct. 24, at 8 p.m. and 11 p.m. The program documents how nature’s...
