The Ancient Shift to Shell Homes: A Tipping Point in Ocean History Researchers at the University of Tartu have made a remarkable discovery about 470 million years ago, when empty seashells began serving as homes for small sea creatures.
This finding is a significant reminder of the ocean's hidden history and has profound implications for our understanding of the delicate balance between species in marine ecosystems.
The Ordovician Period was marked by an explosion in ocean life, with many more animals attaching themselves to hard surfaces. This rapid diversification laid the groundwork for the adoption of empty shells as homes.