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Mammals Adapted to Land Before Dinosaur Extinction

4/2/2025

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Summary

Story summary

A groundbreaking study from the University of Bristol uncovers that mammals were adapting to life on land millions of years before the asteroid that wiped out the dinosaurs. By examining tiny fossilized limb bones from marsupial and placental mammals in Western North America, researchers revealed a pivotal shift in behavior that predates the catastrophic event.

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Story summary

A groundbreaking study from the University of Bristol uncovers that mammals were adapting to life on land millions of years before the asteroid that wiped out the dinosaurs. By examining tiny fossilized limb bones from marsupial and placental mammals in Western North America, researchers revealed a pivotal shift in behavior that predates the catastrophic event.