How does the beginning of the Cambrian Period also mark the beginning of the Phanerozoic Eon?
The beginning of the Cambrian Period marks the start of the Phanerozoic Eon because it coincides with the Cambrian explosionβa period of rapid evolutionary diversification that resulted in the appearance of most major animal phyla.12
This transition is defined by a significant shift in the fossil record. While the preceding Precambrian time (or Cryptozoic Eon) is characterized by rocks containing mainly primitive organisms like bacteria and algae, the Phanerozoic Eon is distinguished by rocks containing conspicuous animal fossils. The evolution of hard body parts, such as calcium carbonate shells, allowed these organisms to fossilize more easily, providing geologists with a much more complete and recognizable record of life. Consequently, this remarkable adaptive radiation serves as the primary biological marker used to divide Earth's history into these two unequal eons.21