How Do Living Fossils Exist?

Episode 2 - Living Fossils… The elusive coelacanth and ancient trilobites, these are their incredible survival stories. Learn about the Cambrian explosion, the evolution of vertebrates, and how these ancient creatures connect us to the distant past. This documentary outlines the secrets of Earth’s oldest fish, revealing how their existence shapes our understanding of life’s origins and evolution.

Welcome to - Are Living Fossils the Key to Understanding Ancient Oceans? How have Living Fossils Survived 10Ms of Years, and what do they teach us? - Ocean Documentary 2025.

00:00 Intro: The Coelacanth, a Survivor from Prehistoric Times
02:09 Chapter 1: The Cambrian Explosion
10:35 Chapter 2: Strange Beginnings (Legacy of the Vertebrates)
16:18 Chapter 3: The Shape of a Story: Cartilaginous Fish (The First Fish)
27:01 Chapter 4: At A Crossroads: Non-Teleosts
35:43 Chapter 5: A Story Without An End: Lobe-finned fish and tetrapods
44:43 Chapter 6: From Water to Land
56:10 Chapter 7: Living Fossils: Echoes of Our Evolution

Life & The Oceans is co-founded by Oliver Gilpin and Leo Richards.

Production Credits:
Directed by Matt Revello
Topic & research by Leo Richards (from ‪@NaturalWorldFacts‬) and Upendra Dassanayake
Script Written by Fayth Tan
Voiceover by Steve Taylor (the fantastic VO of Kurzgesagt)
// A post Steve made, sharing news of the launch:   / steve-taylor-b365078_life-the-oceans-trail...  
Animated by Mirko Torres
Video edited by Jay Calle
Sound designed by Camila Falon
Thumbnail by Jose Toledo
Graphic & Motion Design by Thales Menezes
Content strategy by Louix Gilpin
Production management by Matt Revello, Angel Herrera & Oliver Gilpin

Interested in learning about the Universe and the Earth? Check out our other brands:
   / @lifeandouruniverse  
   / @lifeandtheearth  


Footage taken from paid stocks and open sources such as Artlist, Storyblocks and Wikimedia Commons under CC licenses.

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