'The Ediacaran biota and the evolution of large body size' Dr. Jennifer Hoyal Cuthill

Mathematical Biology Unit (Sincliar Unit) would like to invite you to a seminar by Dr. Jennifer Hoyal Cuthill.

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Date: Thursday, April 21st, 2016
Time: 14:00 - 15:00
Venue: C015, Lab
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Speaker: Dr. Jennifer Hoyal Cuthill

Research Scientist, Earth-Life Science Institute, Tokyo Institute of Technolgogy
Postdoctoral Research Associate, Palaeobiology, University of Cambridge

"The Ediacaran biota and the evolution of large body size"

[Abstract]

The Ediacaran Period (635-541 million years ago) covers one of the most fascinating transitions in the fossil record, the evolution of large body size. Some of the earliest ‘Ediacaran biota’ are not only big (up to 2 m) but also have a strange, fractal body plan that doesn’t look quite like anything alive today. These Precambrian fossils, first identified only in the 1950s, prompt many questions regarding the evolution of life on Earth. What were these enigmatic macroorganisms and why did they appear at that particular point in earth’s history? In this talk I will present recent research aiming to answer these questions by examining processes of growth and development among the Ediacaran biota.

We look forward to seeing many of you there.

Hosted by: Robert Sinclair, Mathematical Biology Unit