In the aftermath of Earth’s most catastrophic extinction event, one unlikely survivor rose to dominate a shattered world: ...

The humble rodent “thumb” may not seem like an obvious window into evolution, but its keratinized tip – the unguis (hoof, claw, or nail) – turns out to reveal striking insights into rodent history and ...

This semi-aquatic mammal may look improbable, but its biology reveals how evolution shapes even the strangest mammal bodies.

One of the most important steps in the evolution of modern mammals was the development of highly sensitive hearing. The middle ear of mammals, with an eardrum and several small bones, allows us to ...

The sprawling-upright transition across mammal evolution, showing changes in posture and limb bone shape. The transition from sprawling (reptile-like) to more upright (parasagittal) posture and ...

The arrangement of the bones that form the joint (the articulation) between the lower jaw and the skull is a key hallmark of vertebrates. Their configuration has long been used to draw a line in the ...

Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights. I write about biodiversity and the hidden quirks of the natural world. This voice experience is generated by AI. Learn more. This ...