Topic: fossils

Neil Shubin examines major evolutionary transitions as instances of existing structures acquiring new functions. Lungs preceded vertebrate life on land, and feathers preceded powered flight. Drawing on molecular biology and fossils, the lecture explores how evolutionary reuse changes explanations of biological innovation and the history of complex organisms.

Neil Shubin investigates the origins of vertebrate teeth and bone through fossils, comparative anatomy and modern imaging. Evidence from early jawless fishes places related tissues in external armour and suggests an initial sensory role for tooth-like structures. The lecture also considers the early appearance of tissue remodelling and other familiar skeletal properties.

Neil Shubin connects human anatomy to the deep evolutionary history of animal bodies. Fossils, developmental mechanisms and comparisons with living species reveal inherited patterns in limbs, nerves, muscles and organ systems. The lecture also considers how research on fishes contributes to understanding human biology and disease.

Lene Liebe Delsett discusses fossils, extinct animals and the methods used to reconstruct life in the distant past. Conversation in Norwegian.