The rise of algae and the emergence of animals

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This project aims to uncover the environmental changes that transformed the oceans 650 million years ago when complex algal cells started to replace bacteria as the dominant forms of life. Using a groundbreaking combination of molecular fossils and isotopes from ancient sedimentary rocks, the project aims to reveal how the flow of energy changed through Earth’s ecosystems. The expected outcomes include new knowledge about our own origins and the events that led to the emergence of the first animals. Additionally, new insights about the mechanisms that generated the oldest hydrocarbon reserves may lead to a new biomarker tool to aid discovery of major new oil or gas reserves in Australia’s Red Centre.