Author: Philip Perry / Source: Big Think
The ocean may be the origin of all life on Earth, but that isn’t to say that all the animals who evolved on land left the water behind forever. In fact, we’re starting to get a pretty good picture of why certain species that returned back to the water decided to do so and how they developed into the marine animals we know today.
Paleontologists say creatures began exploring the land during the Silurian period (440-410 million years ago). No one is sure why this occurred. Some scientists say it may have been tight competition for resources in marine environments that pushed species to look for food elsewhere.
Evolution Is Established Science, but Its True Nature Is Up for Debate Jonathan B. Losos
Play Video
Play
Mute
Current Time 0:00
/
Duration Time 0:00
Loaded: 0%
Progress: 0%
Stream TypeLIVE
Remaining Time -0:00
Playback Rate
1
- Chapters
Chapters
- descriptions off, selected
Descriptions
- subtitles off, selected
Subtitles
- captions settings, opens captions settings dialog
- captions off, selected
Captions
Audio Track
Fullscreen
This is a modal window.
Caption Settings Dialog
Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window.
TextColorWhiteBlackRedGreenBlueYellowMagentaCyanTransparencyOpaqueSemi-TransparentBackgroundColorBlackWhiteRedGreenBlueYellowMagentaCyanTransparencyOpaqueSemi-TransparentTransparentWindowColorBlackWhiteRedGreenBlueYellowMagentaCyanTransparencyTransparentSemi-TransparentOpaque
Font Size50%75%100%125%150%175%200%300%400%
Text Edge StyleNoneRaisedDepressedUniformDropshadow
Font FamilyProportional Sans-SerifMonospace Sans-SerifProportional SerifMonospace SerifCasualScriptSmall Caps
DefaultsDone
Evolution Is Established Science, but Its True Nature Is Up for Debate
Jonathan B. Losos
Evolutionary Biologist
03:20
The first land explorers were arthropods, who started spending just a little bit of time on the surface and then began doing so more and more. They were pre-adapted to land exploration because of their hard shells, which helped retain water. Around 370 million years ago, certain species became permanent land residents. Spiders, mites, and centipedes were the first inhabitants. Then, over the next few million years, amphibians, reptiles, and finally mammals made it onto the scene. But that doesn’t mean they all stayed on land.
During the Early Triassic period (approx. 252-247 million years ago) onward, dozens of terrestrial and freshwater animals returned…
The post Ancient deer-like creatures returned to the ocean to become whales. But why? appeared first on FeedBox.