The emergence of which of the following is hypothesized to have led to changes in Earth's atmosphere that in turn led to totally new avenues of evolution?
A) Sexual reproduction
B) Eukarya
C) Photosynthesis
D) Multicellularity
E) Aerobic metabolism

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The emergence of photosynthesis is hypothesized to have led to changes in Earth's atmosphere through the production of oxygen, which then opened up totally new avenues of evolution. This is known as the Great Oxidation Event, which occurred around 2.4 billion years ago. The production of oxygen allowed for the evolution of aerobic respiration, which is much more efficient than anaerobic respiration, leading to the emergence of more complex organisms.

The Emergence of Which of the Following Is Hypothesized to Have