Michael Coates

In this fascinating discussion, Emily Rayfield, a Professor of Palaeobiology, and Michael Coates, Chair of Organismal Biology, delve into the evolution from fish to tetrapods. They explore how fish adapted to land around 400 million years ago, transforming fins into limbs and swim bladders into lungs. Significant fossil discoveries like Tiktaalik and Ichthyostega reveal crucial anatomical changes. The conversation highlights modern tools revolutionizing fossil studies and the remarkable journey that laid the foundation for the diversity of life we know today.