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I've shared this some local friends and associates, now it's your turn.
Earlier this week, I was reading my most recent toothbrush book (Vanishing Species the Time Life Book... not important enough for a review). I got to the part about the tuatara. Now, I was already aware of this little critter from New Zealand. I knew that its genus was around at the time of the dinosaurs, that it was the only surviving species, and that it looked like a lizard. As I brushed, I briefly glanced across the page and read the following:
"Very little is known about the intervening history of these enduring creatures. As a matter of fact, there are no known fossils from any part of the Tertiary period - from 2 million to 70 million years ago. In modern times, their world shrank gradually to the confines of the New Zealand archipelago and finally to some 20 remote islets off the coast of New Zealand's two main islands. Over that long time span, tuataras acquired odd physical attributes, including a third eye that remains in vestigial form at the top of the head."
I stopped brushing and read that part again.
"including a third eye that remains in vestigial form at the top of the head."
I had read it right. There's a creature out there with three eyes.
Three FREAKING eyes!
How had I not known this before? I hit the net to research it further.
It turns out that the tuatara can focus both main eyes independently and has two retinas in each eye (one for normal use and one for Sunday best! (ok, night and day, but my way is better)). Oh, and the evidence is that the third eye devolved from a real eye. It has its own lens, cornea, and retina. Oh, and apparently this was somewhat common during the age of the dinosaurs.
Why the heck don't the pictures in the dinosaur books include three-eyed reptiles? That would enhance the coolness of the time period so much!
And more importantly, how could I have gone on this long without knowing this? It completely changes my world (OK, maybe just a little bit, but it's still pretty damn cool). I've asked around, and no one around here knew about it either. It's the best-kept secret of natural pre-history. Well, the best kept one that I've found out anyway.
More information is here, here and here.
Misunderstandings about the nature of evolution can be found here and here
Earlier this week, I was reading my most recent toothbrush book (Vanishing Species the Time Life Book... not important enough for a review). I got to the part about the tuatara. Now, I was already aware of this little critter from New Zealand. I knew that its genus was around at the time of the dinosaurs, that it was the only surviving species, and that it looked like a lizard. As I brushed, I briefly glanced across the page and read the following:
"Very little is known about the intervening history of these enduring creatures. As a matter of fact, there are no known fossils from any part of the Tertiary period - from 2 million to 70 million years ago. In modern times, their world shrank gradually to the confines of the New Zealand archipelago and finally to some 20 remote islets off the coast of New Zealand's two main islands. Over that long time span, tuataras acquired odd physical attributes, including a third eye that remains in vestigial form at the top of the head."
I stopped brushing and read that part again.
"including a third eye that remains in vestigial form at the top of the head."
I had read it right. There's a creature out there with three eyes.
Three FREAKING eyes!
How had I not known this before? I hit the net to research it further.
It turns out that the tuatara can focus both main eyes independently and has two retinas in each eye (one for normal use and one for Sunday best! (ok, night and day, but my way is better)). Oh, and the evidence is that the third eye devolved from a real eye. It has its own lens, cornea, and retina. Oh, and apparently this was somewhat common during the age of the dinosaurs.
Why the heck don't the pictures in the dinosaur books include three-eyed reptiles? That would enhance the coolness of the time period so much!
And more importantly, how could I have gone on this long without knowing this? It completely changes my world (OK, maybe just a little bit, but it's still pretty damn cool). I've asked around, and no one around here knew about it either. It's the best-kept secret of natural pre-history. Well, the best kept one that I've found out anyway.
More information is here, here and here.
Misunderstandings about the nature of evolution can be found here and here
