A team of MIT geochemists has unearthed new evidence in very old rocks suggesting that some of the first animals on Earth were likely ancestors of the modern sea sponge. Subscribe to our newsletter ...

The earliest forms of animal life on our planet continue to fascinate scientists, who are seeking to unravel the mystery of their origins. A team of geochemists from MIT recently provided new clues by ...

A rare chemical indicator suggests sponges may have arrived as the first animals on Earth. A sterol core is primarily composed of four fused carbon rings, along with carbon side chains and other ...

A team of scientists digging up some of the Earth’s oldest rocks has uncovered new chemical evidence that Earth’s first animals were likely ancestors of the modern sea sponge. The discovery relies on ...

Tom has a Master's degree in Journalism. His editorial work covers anything from archaeology and the environment to technology and culture. Tom has a Master's degree in Journalism. His editorial work ...

The quokka, the “happiest animal on Earth,” is a small, smiling marsupial native to Australia. Known for its friendly face and charm, it’s a vulnerable species found mainly on Rottnest Island.

Ever since scientists began to understand evolution, they've been arguing over the contentious question of what, exactly, the first animal looked like. Based on genetic analysis, some say today's ...

What types of animals first existed on Earth long ago? This is what a recent study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences hopes to address as a team of scientists ...

Fungi’s evolutionary roots stretch far deeper than once believed — up to 1.4 billion years ago, long before plants or animals ...

A team of MIT geochemists has unearthed new evidence in very old rocks suggesting that some of the first animals on Earth were likely ancestors of the modern sea sponge. In a study appearing today in ...