News From the Field

Vision, not limbs, led fish onto land 385 million years ago


March 7, 2017

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A Northwestern University and W.M. Keck Science Department of Pitzer, Claremont McKenna and Scripps colleges study suggests it was the power of the eyes and not the limbs that first led our aquatic ancestors to make the leap from water to land. The researchers discovered that eyes nearly tripled in size before--not after--the water-to-land transition. Crocodile-like animals saw easy meals on land and then evolved limbs that enabled them to get there, the researchers argue.Full Story

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Northwestern University

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