More than three quarters of all species died. It was one of the first and worst mass extinction events in history—more devastating than the one that decimated the dinosaurs. Strangely, though, there was at least one species that didn’t just survive—it thrived. Entire forests of sea sponges grew and flourished. Long before SpongeBob memes ruled the internet, sponges ruled the oceans. Upon discovering sea sponges, scientists assumed they were plants. They’re often shaped like bushes, they’re almost entirely stationary, and they have no brains, nerves, organs, or muscles. But they don’t subsist
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