How did sinking animal waste bring life to the bottom of the ocean?
In a 9 August 2026 interview for Defector, paleontologist Julien Kimmig examines a part of the fossil record most researchers leave sitting in the dirt: prehistoric feces. The conversation circles a strange biological mystery: why did early animals bother evolving digestive tracts in the first place? Guts take a lot of energy to run. But as Kimmig explains, the sudden appearance of heavy, nutrient-dense waste sinking to the ocean floor opened up entirely new habitats. The resulting chat offers a surprisingly clear look at how the most ignored byproduct of life actually built the modern ecosystem.
An interview on the evolutionary impact of prehistoric animal waste, based on a recent study of Cambrian fossils. Tracing the record from microscopic droppings to larger pellets, the discussion outlines how the development of animal guts changed early oceans. By carrying nutrients to the sea floor, this heavier waste allowed species to expand into deeper waters and accelerated the spread of life on Earth.
Read at source: Defector
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