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How poop may have helped life on Earth flourish 540 million years ago

People don’t love talking about poop, but it may have played a crucial role in evolution.

There’s new research out that suggests feces may have helped fuel the burst of new life during the Cambrian explosion around 540 million years ago.

Host Scott Tong speaks with Russell Bicknell, one of the study co-authors, about his research

This article was originally published on WBUR.org.

Copyright 2026 WBUR