Up Next
Back to Show
Eons
Why We Only Have Ten Toes (It's a Long Story)
Season 4
Episode 22
Today, all mammals from humans to bats have five fingers or fewer. Yes, even whales, whose finger bones are hidden in their fins. Birds have four or fewer and amphibians get the best of both worlds, often having four digits on their “hands” and five on their “feet.” But no species of vertebrates have more than five digits, let alone eight!
Support Provided By
8:10
How did the competition of spiders vs insects drive them both into the air?
10:39
When you take a deeper look at Pompeii, a different story could be told about the final moments.
11:25
What did life look like when the Amazon watershed flowed backwards?
12:10
Did you know the evolution of the butthole was a major breakthrough in animal development?