Scientists have traced the evolutionary origin of humans' outer ears to the gills of ancient fish through a series of gene-editing experiments.

The genes that build the cartilage of fish gills were repurposed to build the cartilage in mammals’ outer ears ...

"Only such perfectly preserved specimens allow researchers to draw conclusions about the living conditions of the ray at that ...

New research has highlighted a fascinating link between human outer ears and the gills of ancient fish. Gene-editing ...

‘We think early sharks developed a cartilaginous skeleton because it better suited their lifestyle,’ explains Emma Bernard, our Fossil Fish Curator. ‘Being light and more flexible than bone, cartilage ...

This made us wonder whether the cartilaginous outer ear may also have arisen from some ancestral fish structure." The first clue toward cracking this mystery was the team's discovery that gills ...

This made us wonder whether the cartilaginous outer ear may also have arisen from some ancestral fish structure." The first clue toward cracking this mystery was the team's discovery that gills ...

And all it takes is a fundamental combination of bone, muscle, and cartilage working together to drum against the fish’s swim bladder, producing the loud noise. But sound production isn’t just ...

This made us wonder whether the cartilaginous outer ear may also have arisen from some ancestral fish structure.” The first clue toward cracking this mystery was the team’s discovery that ...

The Devonian ancestors of fishes living today belonged to two main nonarmored groups. The cartilaginous fish, so-called because cartilage formed their skeletons, later gave rise to sharks and rays.