IUP And Carnegie Museum Of Natural History Find New Clue Surrounding Evolution Of Mammals

By: KDKA-TV News Staff

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) - Researchers from the Carnegie Museum of Natural History and Indiana University of Pennsylvania have found a surprising clue about the evolution of the ears of mammals.

Originally, scientists thought that the "middle ears" of modern mammals were the result of unique adaptations, but now, experts believe they evolved over time.

The local teams studied fossils of a gliding mammal, similar to a modern flying squirrel, to make the discovery.

Their conclusion may mean that mammals originated millions of years earlier than previously thought.