Skip to main content

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

2,703,524 Views

18,373 Questions Answered

TEDEd Animation

Let’s Begin…

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.

Cyanobacteria were the first oxygen producing photosynthesizers. They evolved between __ and __ billion years ago.

About TED-Ed Animations

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

More from Awesome Nature