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Storiascopio · Era 1 of 12 · primary year 3

The first many-celled living things

about 1 billion years ago · The Earth's seas

Illustration: The first many-celled living things

In short

Some cells began to stay together and share out the work instead of separating after reproducing. That is how the first multicellular organisms were born, meaning living things made of many cells. One of the oldest known is Bangiomorpha, a small red seaweed about a billion years old found in the Canadian Arctic. Over time, groups of cells became tissues with different jobs.

Why it matters Being multicellular made bigger, more organised bodies possible, with new ways of living.

Source: CBC News, “Fossils of earliest organisms that had sex are a billion years old”

Where we are in the era “The Earth before us”

Your turn

Name ______________________ Class ______ Date __________

  1. When did it happen? Find the date at the top and write it here:

  2. Tell it in your own words: what happened?

  3. Draw the scene below.

storiascopio.com/en/event/the-first-many-celled-living-things/ · free worksheet, you may photocopy it for your class