Precambrian environment (Introduction)

by dhw, Tuesday, October 29, 2013, 19:48 (4044 days ago) @ David Turell

DAVID: There was lots of oxygen before the Cambrian explosion 2 billlion years ago. Why did it take until 540 million years ago to happen? No one knows.-http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/10/131018132205.htm-QUOTE: "The development of life exploded around 542 million years ago during the so-called Cambrian explosion, where oxygen levels rose to up to 10 percent. Before that life consisted of small and simple, typically single-celled life forms, and science has long thought that there was not enough oxygen for it to evolve into something bigger."-A rise of up to 10% would be substantial enough to make a difference. But I really don't trust measurements of this kind. You can't help thinking that in a thousand years' time ... or even 100 ... all the calculations will be different.-QUOTE: "We have examined rocks that are 2.15 billion -- 2.08 billion years old. They show us that there was oxygen in deep water and thus also in the atmosphere at that time. We cannot say exactly how much, but there was probably ample oxygen and also ample time to permit advanced life to evolve," says Emma Hammarlund."-They cannot say how much, but there was PROBABLY ample...If you don't read these articles carefully enough, you come up with conclusions like: "There was lots of oxygen...".-QUOTE: "The same research team has previously demonstrated the existence of some strange fossils from the same place. The researchers interpret these fossils as a way of life that tried to evolve into a multicellular life form.
"It was not a life form that in any way is comparable to large life as we know it today. It was rather microbes that experimented with a way to evolve into some form of multicellular existence. It had enough oxygen for the experiment, but its destiny is unknown," she says."-I find this very interesting. "A way of life that tried to evolve into a multicellular life form...", "...microbes that experimented with a way to evolve into some form of multicellular existence..." Margulis's concept of evolution proceeding through cooperation continues to gain ground. But what cooperates? These appear to be cells trying to merge. According to David, they were automatons obeying God's built-in instructions. I'd like to know more about these strange fossils. "Microbes experimenting" doesn't sound like automatons obeying instructions, but I guess different scientists have different interpretations.....