Fossils Dated to 565 Million Years Ago Mark Key Evolutionary Event

The fossils, discovered in Wales, provide evidence of the emergence of complex multicellular life after the end of the Snowball Earth era.

Researchers have accurately dated fossils from the Llangynog Inlier of south Wales to 565 million years ago, marking a key event in Earth's evolutionary history when multicellular life became complex.
The fossils, known as Ediacaran Biota, are similar to those found in other parts of the world, including South Australia's Ediacara Hills, suggesting that these species appeared in different parts of the world at closely matching times.
The appearance of these large, complex species occurred almost immediately after the end of the Snowball Earth era, when almost the entire planet was covered in ice.
Changes in ocean chemistry, including a drop in iron levels and a rise in oxygen levels, as well as changes in continental thrust, are believed to have contributed to the development of these lifeforms.
The fossils provide evidence of a diverse shallow marine ecosystem, with some showing evidence of movement, suggesting the creatures were not stationary.