The Formation of Life on Earth

Scientists have recently found out that the diversification of early animals may have been stalled by the lack of oxygen in the atmosphere. A new analysis of ancient rocks have been conducted, and it has shown that oxygen levels were less than 1 percent what they were today, potentially stalling early life. Until recently, scientists have been puzzled by the lag in earths evolutionary timeline. 2.3 billion years ago, a species of bacteria called cyanobacteria were producing oxygen. This was known as the great oxygenation event. After this event happened, growth slowed for a long while, and scientists like to call the time after this event the boring billion. It was not until 800 million years ago that multicellular organisms came about on earth.