Did the first animal look like a sponge or a comb jelly? The debate continues.

Sponges on the left; comb jellies, or ctenophores, on the right. Which organism is at the root of the animal tree of life has been a much-debated question for decades. KevinPanizza & LPETTET/iStock Learn about new research from the lab of Professor of Genetics, Genomics, Evolution, and Development Nicole King.

Excerpt from Berkeley News: “Two years ago, a novel analysis by UC Berkeley researchers pointed to comb jellies as the root of the animal tree of life. Another Berkeley group now says it’s sponges.” Read the full Berkeley News article here.