How multicellular animals came into being

Multicellularity ranks among the most significant evolutionary innovations and has arisen independently in various lineages. Each of these lineages developed its own strategies to overcome the complex challenges associated with the aggregation of many cells. 
In this context, Andreas Hejnol, zoologist and Director of the Phyletic Museum, focuses on the Metazoa: multicellular animals.

The lecture highlights the fundamental prerequisites for multicellularity, examines the evolutionary solutions to key problems such as cell communication, differentiation and organisation, and explores the question of which original organisms gave rise to animals. This overview is complemented by current research findings and the latest insights from the laboratory, which paint a vivid and modern picture of evolutionary biology.