Is this the most successful animal ever? - Nigel Hughes
512,676 Views
1,874 Questions Answered
Let’s Begin…
Prevailing for around 270 million years and encompassing more than 20,000 distinct species, trilobites are some of the most successful lifeforms in Earth’s history. When they sprung into existence, they were among the most diverse and sophisticated organisms on the planet and so had a unique perspective on the ancient world. Nigel Hughes details the rise and fall of these hardy creatures.
Were trilobites among the oldest fossils known on Earth, or do they represent some of the earliest animals known of Earth? Why might the ages of the oldest fossils and the oldest known animals be different?
Sign in to answer questionAbout 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 Nigel Hughes
- Director Zsuzsanna Kreif, The Animation Workshop
- Narrator Addison Anderson
- Storyboard Artist Zsuzsanna Kreif
- Animator Zsuzsanna Kreif
- Compositor Zsuzsanna Kreif
- Art Director Zsuzsanna Kreif
- Composer Stephen LaRosa
- Sound Designer Stephen LaRosa
- Director of Production Gerta Xhelo
- Editorial Director Alex Rosenthal
- Producer Bethany Cutmore-Scott
- Associate Editorial Producer Cella Wright
- Production Coordinator Abdallah Ewis
- Script Editor Alex Gendler
- Fact-Checker Jennifer Nam