Strange Sea-Dwelling Reptile Fossil Hints at Rapid Evolution After Mass Extinction
Monday, May 23, 2016 - 17:29
in Paleontology & Archaeology
Two hundred and fifty million years ago, life on earth was in a tail-spin--climate change, volcanic eruptions, and rising sea levels contributed to a mass extinction that makes the death of the dinosaurs look like child's play. Marine life got hit hardest--96% of all marine species went extinct. For a long time, scientists believed that the early marine reptiles that came about after the mass extinction evolved slowly, but the recent discovery of a strange new fossil brings that view into question.