Lawrence E. Ullman

Approximately 500 million years ago, a phenomenon known as the Cambrian Explosion was in full swing here on planet Earth. After billions of years of relative stasis in which life consisted of little beyond bacteria, plankton, and algae, the fossil record of the Cambrian period shows a sudden explosion of diversity. In just 40 million tumultuous years&mdash;a geologic eye blink&mdash;most of the major groups of animals, or <I>phyla</I>, that exist today appeared for the first time.

A month or two ago, I was on my way home from work when my wife called and asked me to swing by Costco to pick up a pound of our favorite Newhall Blend coffee beans. "We're out," she informed me. "And this time, please don't forget to grind 'em before you leave the store!"