About this episode
This episode explores the evolutionary history of whales, revealing how they transitioned from land mammals to aquatic creatures.
What if whales had legs? Once upon a time, they did. Sort of. An astonishing fossil trail shows that modern whales actually evolved from hooved land mammals. Whales still carry the fingerprints of this past, from their stomach anatomy to their swimming gait. Dive in to discover the wild story of how whales traded legs for fins, as we uncover clues about their ancestors, as well as their unlikely present-day relatives. To watch the full film, visit https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/video/when-whales-could-walk/ Learn more about NOVA and subscribe to our YouTube channel.
Topics covered
- whale evolution
- fossils
- marine biology
- land mammals
- anatomy
- evolutionary biology
Keywords
- whales
- evolution
- fossils
- marine life
- land mammals
- anatomy
- swimming gait
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: GBH
Books & works: When Whales Could Walk
Places: PBS
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