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How a single-celled organism almost wiped out life on Earth - Anusuya Willis

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TEDEd Animation

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There’s an organism that changed the world. It caused the first mass extinction in Earth’s history … and also paved the way for complex life. How? Anusuya Willis explains how cyanobacteria, simple organisms that don’t even have nuclei or any other organelles, wrote a pivotal chapter in the story of life on Earth.

The Great Oxygenation event was caused by a change in oxygen composition in the atmosphere, where the amount of oxygen:

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TED-Ed Animations feature the words and ideas of educators brought to life by professional animators. Are you an educator or animator interested in creating a TED-Ed Animation? Nominate yourself here »

Meet The Creators

  • Educator Anusuya Willis
  • Script Editor Eleanor Nelsen
  • Director Jeremy Jusay
  • Animator Chris Muller, Irving George
  • Narrator Julianna Zarzycki

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