Science ‘Cascade of Events’ Caused Sudden Explosion of Animal Life by Gary Kopycinski on September 20, 2013 Gary Kopycinski Author More in Science: Wilmington Man’s Photo of Rare Snowy Egret Wins Forest Preserve Photo Contest June 8, 2026 Cook County Announces Free 2026 Vets and Pets Rabies Vaccine and Microchip Clinics May 30, 2026 On Hantavirus, Park Forest Officials Urge Caution May 18, 2026 UK–(ENEWSPF)–20 September 2013. The explosion of animal life on Earth around 520 million years ago was the result of a combination of interlinked factors rather than a single underlying cause, according to a new study.