The International Conference on Early Life and Environment, with over 130 experts and scholars from 10 countries participating, commenced on February 17 at the Taibai Campus of Northwest University in Xi'an, Shaanxi province. Scholars from China, the United States, Russia, Germany, and South Korea engaged in profound discussions on the co-evolution of early life and the environment.

Themed "Tree of Life," the conference featured presentations by 30 experts focusing on the formation of the "Tree of Life," the habitability of Earth, and the synchronized evolution of life and the environment. Discussions centered on Earth's habitability evolution from the Archean to the Cambrian period, as well as early life and environmental evolution.

Northwest University President Sun Qingwei extended a warm welcome to the experts and provided insights into the university's historical development and academic strengths in earth science and early life research.

Wang Jun, Chairman of the Chinese Society of Paleontology, highlighted the crucial role of early life and environmental evolution in understanding life's origins, biological radiation, extinction, and environmental co-evolution. He emphasized the importance of collaborative efforts between domestic and international researchers to address these fundamental issues.

Academician Zhou Zhonghe and Shu Degan, both esteemed members of the Chinese Academy of Sciences called for enhanced interdisciplinary collaboration among experts and young scholars. Zhonghe highlighted the importance of tackling cutting-edge disciplinary challenges, fostering innovation in early life and environmental co-evolution research.

On the other hand, Degan, emphasized the significance of the "Tree of Life" in tracing life's origins and enhancing Earth's habitability. Both academics expressed hope that the conference would advance research in early life and environmental studies, offering guidance for future disciplinary development.

The conference presentations delved into topics such as animal evolution from a developmental biology perspective, the influence of rising atmospheric oxygen levels on early animal evolution, the establishment of evolutionary lineages, and the origins of multicellular eukaryotes. These discussions comprehensively explored the "Tree of Life" formation and Earth's habitability evolution from the Archean to the Cambrian period.

The conference, jointly hosted by Northwest University and the State Key Laboratory of Continental Evolution and Early Life, was organized by the university's Department of Geology, Early Life and Environment Innovation Talent Introduction Base, Shaanxi Provincial Key Laboratory of Early Life and Environment, Shaanxi Paleontological Society, and Northwest University Museum. The event holds significant theoretical and practical importance in advancing interdisciplinary research and fostering disciplinary growth.

原文链接：http://education.chinadaily.com.cn/2025-02/18/c_1071119.htm