Why Animals Can Get So Big - The Energy Hierarchy of Life

Explore the fascinating evolution of large, complex multicellular animals in this 28-minute video. Delve into the role of oxygen respiration in enabling the development of huge organisms during the Ediacaran and Cambrian periods. Learn about redox reactions, the redox tower, and how redox stratification impacts both life and geology. Discover the connection between metabolic energy yields and the emergence of complex life forms. Follow the journey from early Earth's redox zones to modern sediment layers, understanding how these changes facilitated the growth of tiny organisms into massive creatures. Gain insights into fundamental concepts of biology, chemistry, and Earth science, presented in an engaging and accessible manner for viewers of all backgrounds.

Timeline of evolution on Earth
Role of oxygen
What is metabolism?
What is ‘redox’?
The Redox Tower
Metabolic energy yields
Sediment redox zones
Modern Earth redox zones
Early Earth redox zones
So how did tiny life get HUGE?