2 ms·
Since the researcher was reconstructing the evolution of a protein I would say the date was determined using a technique called the molecular clock: https://en.
by zbyte64 11y ago
Since the researcher was reconstructing the evolution of a protein I would say the date was determined using a technique called the molecular clock: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Molecular_clock https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Molecular_clock
That and the rise of multi-cellular life marks the beginning of the Cambrian explosion (542M years ago). That gives 60M years for the mutation to spread and specialize.
- stan_rogers 11y agoThe Cambrian explosion is late in this game; this would be about the emergence of the Ediacaran biota (largely fractal-like body plans, followed by organisms with more specialised structural groups and less-local symmetries) and simpler aggregate colony organisms like sponges, which seemed to come out of nowhere quickly after the Cryogenian. The Cambrian explosion seems to have been mostly about riffing on the bilateral symmetry lick.