Project description
Understanding how early animal fossils reveal Earth’s evolution
The emergence of animal life at the end of the Proterozoic Eon and the start of the Phanerozoic Eon, during the Ediacaran and Cambrian periods, marked a key moment in Earth’s history, characterised by tubular fossils and the rise of bilaterian animals. However, studies on their morphology and chemical composition are often limited. Supported by the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions programme, the MINERVA project will assess how fossils of early animals relate to the animal tree of life and their impact on Earth’s evolution, focusing on biomineralisation and substrate utilisation in biogeochemical cycles. Using advanced microtomographic techniques, the project will explore the early evolution of animals through a combination of synchrotron and lab-based analyses.
Objective
The onset and fast diversification of animal life is arguably the most important biotic event in the history of life on Earth, taking place at the end of the Proterozoic and beginning of the Phanerozoic Eons, encompassing the Ediacaran and Cambrian periods. During the latest Ediacaran, a widespread biota of tubular fossils and trace fossils (e.g. burrows in the sediment) not only marks the debut of bilaterian animals, but also of biomineralization processes mediated by animals. The advent of biomineralization forever changed the ecological landscape at the dawn of animal life, influencing ecological interactions, colonization patterns, and consequently the evolution of the first reefs. Tubular animals continued to be among the most common components of Cambrian rocks, while trace fossils show a dramatic increase in the complexity of animal behaviors. Despite the importance of this biota, only few studies dealt with combined aspects of their original three-dimensional morphology and chemical composition, and even then, mostly using lab-based methods that might not provide the necessary resolution to understand the ultrastructure of these fossils at the micro and nanoscale. Evaluating how these fossils and vestiges of early animals are related to the animal tree of life and how they impacted the evolution of Earth (e.g. biomineralization and substrate utilization as key factor in biogeochemical cycles) is the endeavor of MINERVA. With novel and advanced microtomographic approaches at its core, this project will tackle the early evolution of animals through a pioneering combination of advanced synchrotron and lab-based complementary analysis.
Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
You need to log in or register to use this function
Keywords
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Programme(s)
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
-
HORIZON.1.2 - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA)
MAIN PROGRAMME
See all projects funded under this programme
Topic(s)
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Funding Scheme
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
HORIZON-TMA-MSCA-PF-EF - HORIZON TMA MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
See all projects funded under this funding scheme
Call for proposal
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
(opens in new window) HORIZON-MSCA-2025-PF
See all projects funded under this callCoordinator
Net EU financial contribution. The sum of money that the participant receives, deducted by the EU contribution to its linked third party. It considers the distribution of the EU financial contribution between direct beneficiaries of the project and other types of participants, like third-party participants.
5232 VILLIGEN PSI
Switzerland
The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.