Talk type: Talk

Pythons and Their Extinct Kin

  • Talk in Russian
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How do you lose your legs and still survive the dinosaurs, almost all of your closest relatives, and then become one of the most successful predators on the planet? This is a seemingly bizarre and impossible task.

Many creatures in the history of the planet have given up their legs, under various pretexts and for various reasons. But it is snakes that have achieved maximum success in this aspect (not to mention their ability to swallow an object several times thicker than themselves).

Why such an anatomy twist? Where did it all begin? Is it true that the closest relative of the late Mesozoic python turned out to be the largest predatory marine animal in the history of the Earth? We'll discuss these unobvious topics together with the speaker during the session.

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