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Modern snakes evolved from a few survivors of dino-killing asteroid
Heritage Daily ^ | September 15, 2021 | University of Bath

Posted on 09/18/2021 10:49:02 AM PDT by SunkenCiv

The study, led by scientists at the University of Bath and including collaborators from Bristol, Cambridge and Germany, used fossils and analysed genetic differences between modern snakes to reconstruct snake evolution. The analyses helped to pinpoint the time that modern snakes evolved.

Their results show that all living snakes trace back to just a handful of species that survived the asteroid impact 66 million years ago, the same extinction that wiped out the dinosaurs.

The authors argue that the ability of snakes to shelter underground and go for long periods without food helped them survive the destructive effects of the impact. In the aftermath, the extinction of their competitors – including Cretaceous snakes and the dinosaurs themselves – allowed snakes to move into new niches, new habitats and new continents.

Snakes then began to diversify, producing lineages like vipers, cobras, garter snakes, pythons, and boas, exploiting new habitats, and new prey. Modern snake diversity – including tree snakes, sea snakes, venomous vipers and cobras, and huge constrictors like boas and pythons – emerged only after the dinosaur extinction.

Fossils also show a change in the shape of snake vertebrae in the aftermath, resulting from the extinction of Cretaceous lineages and the appearance of new groups, including giant sea snakes up to 10 metres long...

The study also suggests that snakes began to spread across the globe around this time. Although the ancestor of living snakes probably lived somewhere in the Southern Hemisphere, snakes first appear to have spread to Asia after the extinction.

(Excerpt) Read more at heritagedaily.com ...


TOPICS: History; Science; Travel
KEYWORDS: biology; catastrophism; cretaceous; crevo; dinosaurs; evolushun; evolution; evospeculation; fakescience; fauxiantroll; fauxiantrolls; godsgravesglyphs; herpetology; mesozoic; missingtransitions; oldearthspeculation; paleontology; piltdownman; reptiles; snakes; spontaneouslifers; storkzilla; trollsonparade
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1 posted on 09/18/2021 10:49:02 AM PDT by SunkenCiv
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To: 75thOVI; Abathar; agrace; aimhigh; Alice in Wonderland; AnalogReigns; AndrewC; aragorn; ...



2 posted on 09/18/2021 10:49:49 AM PDT by SunkenCiv (Imagine an imaginary menagerie manager imagining managing an imaginary menagerie.)
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To: StayAt HomeMother; Ernest_at_the_Beach; 1ofmanyfree; 21twelve; 24Karet; 2ndDivisionVet; 31R1O; ...

3 posted on 09/18/2021 10:49:57 AM PDT by SunkenCiv (Imagine an imaginary menagerie manager imagining managing an imaginary menagerie.)
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To: SunkenCiv

When evolutionists can’t answer a question on evolution they just say it’s evolution; or aliens.


4 posted on 09/18/2021 11:05:03 AM PDT by SkyDancer (How Can I Ask For Forgiveness If I Won't Forgive Others?)
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To: SunkenCiv

Are you Kidding me?
Of all the unscientific things to say.

Total Buffoonery!


5 posted on 09/18/2021 11:05:21 AM PDT by Pez149 (Time to stop saying a theory is fact....)
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To: SunkenCiv
The authors argue.. Our research suggests.. This seems to be.. The patterns seen in snakes hint at..

Yep, consensus science in all its glory. "We think we know what's going on. Trust us. What could possibly go wrong?"

6 posted on 09/18/2021 11:09:33 AM PDT by Thommas (The snout of the camel is in the tent.)
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To: SunkenCiv

The scientists probably found that answer just by looking up Joe Biden on Ancestry.com.


7 posted on 09/18/2021 11:10:55 AM PDT by jigsaw (God Bless Our Wonderful Troops.)
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To: SunkenCiv

When did they evolve into Democrats?


8 posted on 09/18/2021 11:12:48 AM PDT by BusterDog
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To: SunkenCiv

And now those snakes have evolved and live and work in Washington.
We need another asteroid.


9 posted on 09/18/2021 11:13:25 AM PDT by telescope115 (Proud member of the ANTIFAuci movement. )
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To: Thommas
No, what they're doing is working from evidence. Since you don't like science, the only reason you're here is to troll.

10 posted on 09/18/2021 11:14:08 AM PDT by SunkenCiv (Imagine an imaginary menagerie manager imagining managing an imaginary menagerie.)
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To: SunkenCiv

Their results show that all living snakes trace back to just a handful of species that survived the asteroid impact 66 million years ago, the same extinction that wiped out the dinosaurs.


Patently false - the many species of dinosaurs lived for millions of years after the strike (which may have been one of three) and died out from other causes.


11 posted on 09/18/2021 11:16:42 AM PDT by PIF (They came for me and mine ... now its your turn)
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To: BusterDog

When did they evolve into Democrats?


Chapter 3 of Genesis, when the serpent deceived Eve, and registered as a democrat. Which is why democrats can never re-enter the garden.

DISCLAIMER: not to be taken as sound doctrine (just a hunch ;>)


12 posted on 09/18/2021 11:21:07 AM PDT by patriot torch (Ashlie Babbitt-say her name)
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To: Thommas

[[The authors argue.. Our research suggests.. This seems to be.. The patterns seen in snakes hint at..]]

Sounds like the ‘settled science’ on climate change too-


13 posted on 09/18/2021 11:21:30 AM PDT by Bob434
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To: SunkenCiv

Lol. Asteroid impact pseudoscience continues.


14 posted on 09/18/2021 11:21:45 AM PDT by Seruzawa ("The Political left is the Garden of Eden of incompetence" - Marx the Smarter (Groucho))
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To: PIF

[[died out from other causes.]]

they died from smoking- According to far side-


15 posted on 09/18/2021 11:23:04 AM PDT by Bob434
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To: patriot torch

Please don’t insult snakes. They serve a beneficial purpose, unlike RATs.


16 posted on 09/18/2021 11:23:04 AM PDT by Seruzawa ("The Political left is the Garden of Eden of incompetence" - Marx the Smarter (Groucho))
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To: Bob434; Thommas

“Our research suggests.. This seems to be.. The patterns seen in snakes hint at..”

You’re not used to or don’t believe in science. That’s the correct way scientists talk. There is no such thing as settled science or proof in science.


17 posted on 09/18/2021 11:26:03 AM PDT by Varda
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To: Varda

[[There is no such thing as settled science or proof in science.]]

Tell that to the left- they make the claim all the time-

what i am used to is them and their ilk claiming the discussions are closed because the science is settled-


18 posted on 09/18/2021 11:27:41 AM PDT by Bob434
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To: Varda

my comment was a slam on the left- not science-


19 posted on 09/18/2021 11:28:48 AM PDT by Bob434
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To: Seruzawa

Lol, you trolling and not knowing what you’re talking about continues.


20 posted on 09/18/2021 11:49:05 AM PDT by SunkenCiv (Imagine an imaginary menagerie manager imagining managing an imaginary menagerie.)
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