Sex and Evolution
Cambridge Study Links Asexual Reproduction to Slower Evolution and Reduced Species Diversity
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A study from the University of Cambridge has found that life on Earth spent 14 million years stuck in an evolutionary rut — because early organisms were cloning themselves instead of having sex. La Opinión de Málaga reports that researchers analyzed fossils from 574 million years ago and found that asexual reproduction kept species genetically identical, slowing down diversity to a near standstill.
The breakthrough came around 560 million years ago, when a sudden explosion of new species — the Avalon Explosion — transformed the ocean floor. Scientists say the shift to sexual reproduction was the trigger. Without it, Earth might have remained a planet of identical, fern-like clones for billions of years.
Fourteen Million Years of Evolutionary Stagnation Explained
The first complex multicellular animals appeared 574 million years ago. But for the next 14 million years, almost nothing new evolved. Researchers at Cambridge now have an explanation: these early creatures reproduced like strawberry plants, sending out runners called stolons to create nearby clones. The result was vast colonies of genetically identical organisms, according to El Correo Gallego.
Because the clones stayed close to their parents and never mixed genes, there was little competition between different species. Without that pressure, there was no reason for life to change. Lead researcher Dr. Emily Mitchell put it plainly: "Widespread asexual reproduction via stolon likely constrained early animal evolution, limiting diversification until the onset of mobility and widespread sexual reproduction."
35,000 Fossils Scanned to Crack the Mystery
The Cambridge team used high-resolution laser scanners to digitally map more than 35,000 fossils at sites in Newfoundland and Charnwood Forest. They focused on an organism called Fractofusus — a rangeomorph that looked like a fern but was likely one of the first animals. It absorbed nutrients through its skin and could not move, according to El Periódico Mediterráneo.
The data showed a clear "clusters of clusters" pattern — a mathematical signature of clonal growth. But the fossils also showed evidence of long-distance waterborne offspring, almost certainly produced through sexual reproduction. That mix of local cloning and far-traveling sexual offspring gave the team the key clue, reports La Provincia.
Sex Forced Species to Compete and Evolve Fast
When sexual reproduction spread, offspring traveled far from their parents through ocean currents. For the first time, different species had to share the same space. That forced competition, and competition forced change. In a geological blink, species developed new shapes, new strategies, and new tools for survival, according to El DÃa.
This chain of events laid the groundwork for the Cambrian Explosion — the later burst of life that produced eyes, shells, and movement. The 560-million-year-ago Avalon Explosion was the first spark. Without sex mixing genes and pushing species into new territory, that spark may never have come, says La Opinión de Zamora.
What This Means for Life on Other Planets
The study has implications beyond Earth. Scientists say complex life may exist on other planets but could be permanently trapped in an asexual loop — endlessly cloning, never competing, never truly evolving. Without genetic mixing, those worlds could stay biologically frozen for billions of years, according to La Opinión de A Coruña.
Some researchers remain cautious. The fossils show no actual sexual organs — the conclusion rests on powerful statistical patterns, not direct physical proof. Still, the mathematical case is strong. The Cambridge team's spatial analysis of 35,000 specimens gives the "sex saved the planet" hypothesis its most solid scientific foundation yet, reports Diario Córdoba.
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