# Animal poop may have triggered Earth’s Cambrian explosion 2026-08-10T08:49:35+00:00 | Health & Science | Indian Opinion Desk Corroboration: 1 independent outlet Scientists propose that animal faeces, not just rising oxygen, may have driven the Cambrian explosion of life around 540 million years ago. Research published in the journal 'Trends in Ecology and Evolution' argues that the evolution of 'through-guts' let animals produce concentrated faecal pellets. These pellets sank faster than loose organic matter, carrying nutrients like carbon and nitrogen from the ocean surface to the deep seafloor. According to ScienceAlert, this 'faecal revolution' cleared the water, letting sunlight penetrate deeper and fertilising the seabed. Fossilised faeces (coprolites) appear in Cambrian deposits from about 538.8 million years ago. Researchers say this created a positive feedback loop: more animals meant more waste, which sustained larger and more diverse life. The team includes evolutionary biologist Russell Bicknell. ## Coverage - timesofindia.indiatimes.com Tags: animal waste, Cambrian explosion, coprolites, evolution, ocean nutrients, palaeontology Canonical: https://indianopinion.org/animal-poop-may-have-triggered-earths-cambrian-explosion/ License: Summary and commentary (c) Indian Opinion, reusable with attribution. Facts belong to the linked sources. Cite: https://indianopinion.org/animal-poop-may-have-triggered-earths-cambrian-explosion/#story-in-brief Review state: restored archive article, accurate at time of publication, not offered to search indexes.