Based on the fossil evidence, could the Cambrian explosion of life have happened instantaneously ?
Yes. When we deal with fossils that are half a billion years old, it is not possible to resolve a time period to less than ~5-10 million years. So if the Cambrian explosion took place in an instant, we would only be able to identify that instant as being within a 5-10 million year period. So, yes, based on the fossil evidence, the Cambrian explosion could indeed have happened instantaneously.
Related Questions
- Why did the major groups of animals suddenly appear in the fossil record, known as the Cambrian Explosion?
- Based on the fossil evidence, could the Cambrian explosion of life have happened instantaneously ?
- Based on the fossil evidence, what is the possible range of duration for the Cambrian explosion?
