Skip to main content

Up Next

Back to Show
Eons

How the Smallest Animal Got So Simple

Season 4 Episode 26

We tend to think that evolution only goes in one direction— toward getting bigger and more advanced. But that’s not always the case. This tiny, simple animal, the Myxozoans, (yes, animal!) evolved from something bigger and more complex.

Sign up now for inspiring and thought-provoking media delivered straight to your inbox.
Season
Primates vs Snakes (An Evolutionary Arms Race)
7:53
The Snake Detection Hypothesis is deeply embedded in primates, including us.
How Our Deadliest Parasite Turned To The Dark Side
8:06
Around 10,000 years ago, a parasite made a huge leap and found its way to a new host: Us.
When Pterosaurs Walked
9:38
Here's how pterosaurs went from being airborne to pedestrian.
The 40 Million-Year-Old Ecosystem In Your Mouth
8:14
Dental calculus is the only part of your body that actually fossilizes while you're alive!
Why The Paleo Diet Couldn't Save The Neanderthals
9:17
Here's why these skilled toolmakers, hunters, and foragers' population disappeared.
When It Was Too Hot for Leaves
10:11
For the first 80 million years of plants' existence, leaves didn't exist. Here's why.
How Dinosaurs Coupled Up
7:49
We learn about Dinosaur mating behavior from fossil records.
How Ancient Whales May Have Changed the Deep Ocean
10:05
Here's how the evolution of ocean-going whales affected deep-ocean communities.
When Mammals Only Went Out At Night
11:09
Scientists discover dinosaurs and tiny mammals' sleep habits are different than thought.
How a Mass Extinction Event Created the Amazon
7:55
The history of how the Amazon's revolution began in just one day.
How a Supervolcano Ignited an Evolutionary Debate
9:59
Discover the effects of the Toba supervolcano.
How Pollination Got Going Twice
9:32
Pollination by insects actually got going twice.
Active loading indicator