What Art Thou Little Bird: Developmental Mechanisms for the Origin and Evolution of Birds

Описание: Lecture by Arkhat Abzhanov, Associate Professor of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University on January 31, 2013.
Abzhanov explored the new science of evolutionary developmental biology ("evo-devo"). It sheds light on how birds’ highly distinct skulls with toothless beaks have evolved and how modern birds can generate a seemingly endless array of beak shapes. We might think robins are just a common backyard bird, but they actually represent one of the most unusual, successful, and abundant animal groups (the order Aves) in Earth’s history, tracing their origins to a single group of carnivorous bipedal dinosaurs.

Part of the Evolution Matters series, supported by a generous gift from Drs. Herman and Joan Suit.