• Question: Isn't it amazing how the all the creatures around us came from tiny cells in the bottom of the ocean millions of years ago!? How is it possible?

    Asked by betsyjean to Adrian, Gaia, Jim, Scott, Vicky on 11 Mar 2016.
    • Photo: Adrian Buzatu

      Adrian Buzatu answered on 11 Mar 2016:

      It is fascinating indeed! Just one tiny correction: the creatures were most likely at the surface of the ocean, where it is warmer and there is more sunlight, than at the bottom of the oceans. They could have been also in shallow lakes, too.

    • Photo: Scott Lawrie

      Scott Lawrie answered on 14 Mar 2016:

      Hi Betsy: you are absolutely correct! It is very clever how everything evolved from tiny cells and bacteria 😀 It took a VERY long time, though: about 1.5 BILLION years is how long it took for even simple fish to develop from those tiny cells. Even after the dinosaurs went extinct, it took 65 million years for humans to arrive!

      It takes that long because an animal with a slight difference to its friends which gave it an advantage (e.g. slightly bigger ears so it could hear predators coming earlier) needed to pass that adaptation onto its children, grandchildren great-grandchildren… Over several generations that adaptation might have gotten big enough to make a whole new species of animal! But it’s not just ears which distinguish us from mice (for example): better eyes, bigger brains, fingers, strong legs… lots of adaptations are needed. That’s why it takes such a long time. Certainly possible, though!

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