A groundbreaking discovery of fossils has provided scientists with an unprecedented insight into a pivotal moment in Earth's history: the transition from rudimentary plant and animal life to the intricate creatures that would eventually dominate the planet. This crucial evolutionary leap, it now appears, occurred millions of years earlier than previously understood.
Over 700 fossils unearthed in China’s southwestern Yunnan province offer a unique glimpse into life approximately 539 million years ago, towards the close of the Ediacaran period. This era was previously characterised by simple, peculiar animals that existed in a two-dimensional oceanic environment, lacking vertical movement.
