The study, published in the journal Nature Communications, found that early animals were able to survive the ice age by adapting to the cold and taking advantage of the unique environmental conditions.
The researchers studied the fossils of early animals from the Burgess Shale, a fossil site in British Columbia, Canada, that dates back to the Cambrian period, around 500 million years ago.
They found that many of the early animals had adaptations that helped them to survive the cold, such as thick body coverings, the ability to store fat, and the ability to live in cold waters.
The researchers also found that many of the early animals took advantage of the unique environmental conditions of the ice age, such as the availability of open water and the presence of abundant food sources.
The study provides new insights into the evolution of early animals and how they were able to survive and adapt to the harsh conditions of the ice age.
"Our study provides a new understanding of how early animals were able to survive the ice age," said Dr. David Legg, lead author of the study. "We found that early animals had a variety of adaptations that helped them to survive the cold and take advantage of the unique environmental conditions of the ice age."
"This study is important because it helps us to understand the evolution of early animals and how they were able to survive and adapt to the changing climate of the Earth," said Professor Philip Donoghue, co-author of the study.
The study was funded by the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) and the Leverhulme Trust.
