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 and may provide insights into the lifeforms expected on other planets.