Complex, Multicellular Life from Over Two Billion Years Ago Discovered

[BenBurch]

Complex, Multicellular Life from Over Two Billion Years Ago Discovered

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/06/100630171711.htm

ScienceDaily (July 1, 2010) — The discovery in Gabon of more than 250 fossils in an excellent state of conservation has provided proof, for the first time, of the existence of multicellular organisms 2.1 billion years ago. This finding represents a major breakthrough: until now, the first complex life forms (made up of several cells) dated from around 600 million years ago.

<SNIP>

Wow.

 

[Rincewind]

I agree - Wow!

Presuambly any day now the Creationists will claim hoax?

 

[sphenisc]

I agree - Wow!

Presuambly any day now the Creationists will claim hoax?

No, they'll love it. a PreCambrian rabbit would disprove Evolution and that's only a 600 million year anachronism - this is a 1.5 billion year anachronism - case closed and it's all over for Darwin.

 

[Dancing David]

Pre-pre-cambrian,

I heard it was signed by one of God's assistants

Randall: We made trees and shrubs. We helped make all this.
Kevin: Whew! That's not bad.
Randall: Yeah. But did we get a thimble full of credit for it? No! All we got was the sack. Just for creating the Pink Bunkadoo.
Kevin: Pink Bunkadoo?
Randall: Yeah. Beautiful trees that was. Og designed it. 600 feet high, bright red, and smelled terrible.

Time Bandits

 

[JoeTheJuggler]

I don't think the finding is especially problematic unless the animal was eucaryotic and did cellular respiration (in the oxygen-poor atmosphere of the time).

In fact, I think colonial and more complex multicellular procaryotic life forms (in the absence of eucaryotic competitors) would be expected. Their absence today is easily explained in that those niches either no longer exist (giving changing climate and atmosphere) or are occupied by procaryots.