The Shape of Life . The First Hunter

"I'm playing detective in deep time. I mean, I'm trying to think what was on the seafloor 540 million years ago." -- Whitey Hagadorn, Paleontologist

Whitey Hagadorn

Video: Hagadorn searches for tracks of ancient flatworms

Fortunately for Caltech scientist Whitey Hagadorn, the seafloor of 540 million years ago is now located in California's Inyo Mountains, between Kings Canyon and Death Valley National Parks. Hagadorn looks for tiny tracks in the rocks, evidence he believes, of some of the earliest animals capable of moving in a forward direction -- animals akin to today's flatworm.

"I get a clue here, a clue there, and I try to piece them together and create a story to find out who the culprit was. About 565 million years ago, there was sort of a revolution in animal body plans. Organisms for the first time became able to move on their own accord in a directed fashion. We know this because we can look at their trace fossils. By looking at this trail, we can certainly say that whatever made it had the ability to move sediment. Prior to this time, there weren't many things that could do that."

If the ancient worm knew where it was going, Hagadorn and fellow scientists conclude, it most likely possessed an obvious front end or head, was equipped with senses arranged on its head facilitating forward movement, and most likely featured the first primitive brain.

Inyo Mountains, CA
	Dr. Whitey Hagadorn Biography and Career Q & A