Burgess Shale

The Burgess Shale is a famous fossil site located in the Canadian Rockies, known for its rich and diverse collection of well-preserved marine fossils from the Cambrian period, about 505 million years ago. Discovered in 1909, it offers a unique glimpse into early life on Earth, showcasing an array of strange and complex organisms, some of which are ancestors to modern groups. This site has significantly contributed to our understanding of evolution and the development of life, highlighting the rapid diversification of species during the Cambrian explosion, a pivotal time in biological history.