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The Cambrian explosion, a burst of animal diversity in the fossil record about 541 million years ago, preserved ancient animals like these.Smithsonian Institution, courtesy of Douglas Erwin

In your family, it’s easy to figure out whom you’re related to. Siblings share parents, cousins share grandparents and great-grandparents and so on. Go back far enough in time and you’ll discover that you share ancestors with every person on Earth. Continue back even further, and you’ll find an even broader connection: All animals trace to a common ancestor, which means that you, your dog and your fish are related.

In a new study, scientists report genetic clues indicating that the most recent common ancestor of all animals came along about 800 million years ago.

Visit the new Science News for Kids website and read the full story: One big animal family

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