What is it about?
Tiny marine plankton sometimes abruptly switch shell coiling direction worldwide. This study suggests these flips mark the rapid spread of hidden genetic populations, revealing cryptic evolution and ecological speciation rather than simple environmental responses.
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Photo by Giulia May on Unsplash
Why is it important?
Detailed records of fossil data have allowed long-standing mysteries about plankton evolution to be revisited. It is unique in showing that abrupt shell-coiling reversals may reveal hidden species replacements and ecological speciation.
Perspectives
We have been scratching our heads about the reason for these flipping plankton. Why would a species of ocean plankton coil its shells to the right for millions of years and then suddenly, flip to the left? Our study is a global record with counts of 78,905 fossil specimens. We hope it will initiate debate and future research for the mechanism of these flipping plankton.
Bridget Wade
University College London
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: Flipping plankton, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, May 2026, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences,
DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2603416123.
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