New insights into the Cambrian explosion of life have been obtained through collaborative research in one of the world's top geologic laboratories that combines cutting-edge analytical methods with conventional field geology.

Single-celled life has dominated Earth's 4.6 billion-year history since soon after the planet's birth. However, a spectacular event known as the Cambrian "explosion" took place some 500 million years ago. A remarkable variety of living forms emerged during this time and was preserved in the fossil record. Major groups of varied creatures that gave rise to animal groupings that are still alive today, including humans, were represented in these fossils.

GSA 21^st November 2024 issue, The Cambrian of the Grand Canyon: Refinement of a Classic Stratigraphic Model, features a recent study by UNM researchers and a larger collaborative team as the lead science article. 

According to Carol Dehler, a professor at Utah State University, the Tonto Group of the Grand Canyon contains a wealth of sedimentary layers and fossils that document the Cambrian Explosion, which occurred about 500 million years ago. During this time, the first animals with hard shells multiplied quickly, and sea levels rose to cover continents with newly emerging marine life.

Among the coauthors was Steve Rowland from the University of Nevada Las Vegas, Mark Schmitz from Boise State University, James Hagadorn from the Denver Museum of Nature and Science, and Dehler, who was the lead author. Fred Sundberg, an adjunct professor and paleontologist at UNM, was the co-lead.