That was when the surprise hit, said Kosik. We found a lot of genes to make a nervous system present in the sponge. The research team also found evidence to show that these genes were working together in the sponge. The way two of the proteins interact, and their atomic structure, bear resemblance to the human nervous system.

We found this mysterious unknown structure in the sponge, and it is clear that evolution was able to take this entire structure, and, with small modifications, direct its use toward a new function, said Kosik. Evolution can take these off the shelf components and put them together in new and interesting ways.