Empty seashells became the ocean’s first ready-made homes 470 million years ago, helping create an entirely new ecosystem

North America Science Thu, 23 Jul 2026 20:32:18 GMT Moderate confidence — 73/100

Empty seashells became new habitats 470 million years agoAn international study led by scientists at the University of Tartu shows that about 470 million years ago, a major ecological change took place in the world’s oceans.
For the first time, the hollow interiors of empty mollusc shells began serving as homes for small sea creatures.
This marked the start of a brand-new way of living on the seafloor and was a major step toward how ocean ecosystems function today.

Empty seashells became new habitats 470 million years agoAn international study led by scientists at the University of Tartu shows that about 470 million years ago, a major ecological change took place in the world’s oceans.
For the first time, the hollow interiors of empty mollusc shells began serving as homes for small sea creatures.
This marked the start of a brand-new way of living on the seafloor and was a major step toward how ocean ecosystems function today.

Sources: Times of India