How Animals Are Rapidly Evolving Because of Climate Change | WIRED

[@koleraba1]

This guy is explaining this with pure geniuine joy, makes the video even better.

[@danceswithdirt7197]

He wrote a children's book (as well as other books) and hosts a show on PBS. He's fantastic. I truly hope this exposure lets him reach a wider audience.

[@mikemowr8982]

1) The climate has always been changing 2) Evolution is just a theory

[@arbitration2481]

@@mikemowr8982 yes, but we affect it, and a theory in science is something well established that has the backing of a majority of the community (along with repeatable peer reviewed observations and studies). Essentially calling it a "theory" in scientific terms means it is accepted as true, but still being built upon as time goes on. Religious people often like to act like theory means "they just don't know". But that's not true. If they were unsure about it, or didn't have proof of it, it would simply be a hypothesis.

[@psychorama7]

Watching someone hard nerd out and information spew over something they love is the best.

[@plaguerim5608]

@@mikemowr8982 You're confusing the terms "theory" and "hypothesis" honey.

[@pauwula]

Imagine going in to clean the hotel room or something and there's a man blowing lizards off a stick with a leaf blower

[@makepeace234]

😆🤣😆🤣

[@GhostOfMrPickles]

probably not the oddest thing they've seen...;)

[@madelinekusuma4009]

HAHAHA I LAUGHED SO HARD AT THAT PART

[@jamesharmer9293]

I'm sure they've seen much odder things than that...

[@kynas4966]

PLSSSS

[@Pleshie]

Glad to see this guy return. He's so enthusiastic about his profession

[@Pleshie]

@Tim Orton Thanks!

[@casey-capri2914]

Yeah this guy rocks

[@cheryl-lynnmehring8606]

We NEED more of this man!!! I learned so much! 💘

[@altair91100]

right? this guy is so great. I remember I had a biology teacher like him in high school, and even "bad students" had good grades, no because he was so mild, but because he really could explain everything so well and in such an interesting manner, that even the bullies listened to him like they were under some kind of a charm or something

[@Alex-gd9li]

Hes also a fear-mongering liar

[@thaibasil420]

Can we get this guy his own series? The world NEEDS more Thor Hanson!

[@viclange3826]

I honestly think he could pick up for Richard Attenborough. Sure, the two sound nothing alike, but his ability to talk about zoology in an educated and enthusiastic way without sounding corny would put him above a lot of the other narrators I've heard the BBC and NatGeo using

[@sparkysummons4454]

Anole Lizard to his wife: “You WOULD NOT believe the day I’ve had today…”

[@Usiris23]

Them little lizards had me laughing.

[@fukuarabu2755]

Climate change is money for best example for science who are lazy to use their brain on creation but try to make propaganda in order to get admire.

[@sparkysummons4454]

@@fukuarabu2755 Thank you for the insight, Fuku.

[@levicarpenter2996]

Definitely would have watched him on Animal Planet back in the day.

[@arivette2010]

And now!

[@wildsideofthings7733]

Back when Animal Planet was actually good and reliable

[@thatfishguy4991]

@@wildsideofthings7733 idek if it was “reliable” back then. I mean they had programming like Tanked.

[@kalvinsampson2043]

Then you would have missed Steve Erwin

[@iwinrar5207]

@@thatfishguy4991 atleast you learned about different fish species a little bit.

[@moser7536]

Wired is really nailing their ability to find really interesting people who LOVE their profession, and it really makes topics like this so interesting to people who previously had no interest, myself included. Rock on 🤟

[@wildsideofthings7733]

I’m interested in evolution and have been for a very long time. This was fascinating to me

[@wildsideofthings7733]

@@Ligerbee speculative evolution is so interesting. Thinking about other worlds and our own planets future is interesting af. Also what could’ve been if events went down differently.

[@shadowoffire4307]

This is right and tight slap on face of the christens and their refusal of evolution.

[@pratik2617]

Well this is much better then Ted talk

[@aIkaIi]

@@shadowoffire4307 I'm Christian and I find it sad that you must put science to use against religion. I believe in evolution; I also believe in Christianity. Stop using this interesting and informative opportunity for your own agenda attacking Christians.

[@Steven-kq6rw]

0:03 I am honestly surprised that Geico hasn't made this into a commercial about the gecko getting blown away by how low the prices are.

[@XEHR120]

You can save 50% or more with car insurance.

[@ish-n-judesanford]

@@XEHR120 yes....BUT ONLY ....if you...show me the car fax😃!

[@bestfoodchannelever]

That would be an ad 😆😆😆

[@blueblaze332]

Bless

[@dylanbuchman8128]

🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@eightynine40]

The shorter the animal species lifespan is, the faster the rate of their species evolution due to how many generations it can produce in such a short period.

[@Neenerella333]

But, as some modern species that also occur in the fossil record show, if they don't HAVE to adapt to changes in their environment, they don't.

[@fukuarabu2755]

Climate change is money for best example for science who are lazy to use their brain on creation but try to make propaganda in order to get admire.

[@StonedtotheBones13]

I believe there is also a correlation between size of organism and lifespan. And possibly the speed at which that life is lived.

[@StonedtotheBones13]

@maso0140 tiny tiny changes one at a time, on the molecular/DNA level. Coelacanths look basically the same as their fossils, but their DNA shows that they've been evolving all along.

[@TheCapsulateIon]

How stressful it must be to be an environmental scientist at this time -- knowing that the planet is slipping faster and faster towards another mass extinction event and that normal people just don't understand the severity of it

[@michaelmakes1225]

B.$.

[@alainx277]

@@michaelmakes1225 Interesting, could you explain your stance on this?

[@rgaud8]

One of my friends just got his Phd in climate science, claims that most people he’s met in the field are very pessimistic.

[@TheCapsulateIon]

@@alainx277 his stance is denial

[@TheCapsulateIon]

@@rgaud8 given the recent COP26 and what came out of it, can you really blame them for being pessimistic?

[@Best_Zelda]

As someone who is studying biological sciences at university, I am particularly fond of these biology-based videos, keep them coming!

[@bobbybrooks4826]

Pufft,.... Your never going to be a scientist

[@gordonsirek9001]

@@bobbybrooks4826 Perhaps a brainwashed propagandist.

[@bobbybrooks4826]

@@gordonsirek9001 yep

[@justsomeice9585]

@@bobbybrooks4826 when did the guy say he wanted to be a scientist in the first place lol

[@materla4102]

Hello there fellow biology student!

[@fashiondesign42]

I really need him to have a science show. Just the pure passion you can hear in his voice is so amazing. Had I had him as teacher when I was a kid I might have actually pursued a science career.

[@oheidi5956]

Thor Hanson has such a soothing voice. You can hear the joy & passion as he talks about biology. 👍

[@Monderoth]

This should have diminishing returns in the shir term, right…? They’re only able to make these adaptations because they already had some diversity in their populations, and that diversity decreases when parts of their populations die off. They would need more time to diversify again, and they may not be given that time if they are hit by too many events too quickly.

[@darkshadowrule2952]

May depend on whether the aspects were spontaneous mutations during birth on the same gene of multiple families or if the adaptation was limited to a small number of families, increasing the likelihood of inbreeding

[@anthonypolonkay2681]

@@darkshadowrule2952 I think it cant be a mutation. Because random mutations dont operate base on what is needed, it doesnt have foresight. And the population genetics of the lizards wouldnt have had enough time to propagate that mutation through the lizard populations in such a short time span even if 1, or 2 lizards gained a new mutation that added the benefit of longer toepads, and shorter back legs. Because if they were the result of brand new mutations you have to wait for those lizards to be ready to mate, and reproduce themselves, and you have to have the other longer back legs, and shorter notepads lizards be selected out.

[@darkshadowrule2952]

@@anthonypolonkay2681 it could be tho that the gene that causes the change of leg sizes and such could be a generally less stable gene that is more subject to mutation, that's kind of the reason so many different people get certain kinds of cancer that are linked to genetics but spread across a wide number of family lines

[@TheGuindo]

@@anthonypolonkay2681 random mutations just happen. if they're not DISadvantageous then they'll spread through a population and just exist until selective pressure is applied in one direction or another. For an example of this, look at the amount of diversity that exists in human foot shape. A big one is whether or not your big toe or 2nd toe is the longest toe. Neither mutation is advantageous or disadvantageous, so they both exist within the human population, spread throughout it. If something happened that suddenly killed off all the people with longer big toes, there's an already widespread population of people with longer 2nd toes who would survive to reproduce. That's the situation with the anoles - they already had this mutation existing within their population but hadn't experienced the necessary selection pressure yet to make one configuration advantageous or disadvantageous over the other.

[@FordRangerClassics]

I would say although things are changing quite drastically, it's sort of a consistent slide in one direction. I think maybe diversity would lessen, however I think once conditions are more level and unchanging, diversity will increase again

[@sakuranovaryan9261]

He's so casual but practical about the things he says. He doesn't push any narratives just explaining facts in a digestive way.

[@user-vk2cd9qw7i]

I’m an engineer, not a scientist, but I know quite a few, and this is how they are. They care about finding the truth of the world around them. Any “scientist” trying to push some agenda has some motive other than truth, and should only be listened to if their claims are verifiable by peer reviewed studies

[@seasquirt22]

Pushing narratives? What narratives would a biologist want to push besides truth

[@jesualdocortez6426]

@@user-vk2cd9qw7i are you…dog whistling the effects of man made climate change 🤨

[@willjackson5885]

Facts are rarely digestible. He manipulates the narrative by leaving out specific details

[@seasquirt22]

@@weebly_ yes bc biologists are just filthy rich

[@aviancypress5181]

I love phenotypic plasticity in animals, its so fascinating seeing how animals are so different even in the same region

[@mehVhem]

The genuine joy this man has for his profession is fantastic and very important in getting people interested about such a dire issue. Wired has been nailing it recently with interesting and enthusiastic people!

[@BricksterNL]

Just imagine a nature documantary with David Attenborough & Thor Hanson together. I would love it!

[@johndoe-uz2kc]

One thing about the lizard experiment is that it wasn't accurate, lizards aren't holding onto smooth dowels in the wild, they hold onto living trees that have rough bark that gives them much better footholds, the scientist should have used a piece of tree branch similar size to the dowel instead.

[@starvingmosquito8851]

doesn't matter, as long as surfaces used in the experiment are identical to each other. it showed that lizards with shorter legs hold onto an identical surface better than lizards with longer legs. if they used a surface that lizards can hold onto better, the only difference would be that they would have to blow the air stronger.

[@johndoe-uz2kc]

@@starvingmosquito8851 true true.

[@itsjustalf7747]

This is actually a very interesting topic that isn’t really talked about, would Love to see more about this topic!

[@christopherduchesneau3652]

This man is seriously becoming one of my heros! I just love how passionnate he is about what he does

[@hello7032]

If you’re into it, hope to see you become a scientist!

[@christopherduchesneau3652]

My dream is to be a zoologist and i'll do everything i can to be one

[@hello7032]

@@christopherduchesneau3652 that’s amazing! Sending you all the best, just remember imposter syndrome will be real, don’t compare yourself to others, you’re doing just fine and belong in those spaces. Youll get there

[@christopherduchesneau3652]

You dont even know how much your two comments gave me a self-esteem boost sincerely thank you😅

[@hello7032]

@@christopherduchesneau3652 hey, I’m a conservation student right now myself, I know how much I doubt myself. The ability is definitely there, just gotta all believe in ourselves. Glad I could help a little!

[@Yoshification]

I wanna hear this man narrate a natgeo or animal planet documentation.

[@kelly-bo-belly]

Brilliant idea, 100% agree.

[@danielduarte6086]

Would love to have you as a teacher,my brain is exploding with ideas and questions

[@maxpulido4268]

Nice

[@darksu6947]

Sorry about your brain! But did you die, bro?

[@SOOTHSAYERVEGA]

This is both really sad and incredibly fascinating at the same time , just wish these beautiful creatures didn’t have to suffer the consequences of our actions .

[@maltahighjacker9842]

They would of had to change at some point anyway do you know how many mass extinctions have occurred on the planet? Five.

[@peachymango_]

@@maltahighjacker9842 and we will be the 6th very soon at the rate we are going

[@ElTokeMaestro]

@@peachymango_ what you mean?

[@maltahighjacker9842]

@@peachymango_ well there's nothing we can do about it even if everyone went back to living like hunter gathers the damage has already been done in fact most of the damage we caused started when we were hunter gathers wiping out almost all the mega fauna on the planet.

[@SOOTHSAYERVEGA]

@@maltahighjacker9842 yea your not wrong I just still feel empathy for them they don’t understand why they just know they have to change they have no choice , but we know why and we saw the signs for years and chose not to change until the it’s almost if not already too late . But at the same time birds and many other animals have been known to sense out when natural disasters happen they do have strong instincts they are incredible at adapting better then us humans who think we’re so advanced lmao like I said I do think this is fascinating. I think because I am a vegan I do think we all should care more about animals be conscious about how are action effect and how that actually negatively effects our lives in return

[@theseventhgeneration6910]

Here in Texas the brown anole is taking over and the green anole numbers are shrinking. The sheer number of brown anoles is having a major impact on the insect population as well. They are faster, more nimble, more aggressive and less picky about what they eat. All of the green anoles are staying higher in the trees while the brown anoles stay on the ground. Some hybrids exist but are few and far between. During the peak of summer, it's difficult to walk down a sidewalk without stepping on a brown anole. In urban areas, they almost blanket the ground in some areas. The overall size of our local mosquitoes has increased. We have much more snake activity in the spring. Mold is becoming an issue and several unique species of mushrooms are becoming more predominant. Beauty berry bushes are popping up everywhere while wildflowers are dwindling. A couple of weeks ago I almost stepped on a Water Mocassin that was uncomfortably sunbathing IN DECEMBER. That poor snake was starving and confused. It was practically incapable of moving in the 85° heat of winter. Climate change "debunkers" are past the point of forgiveness.

[@marshallr2001]

God I wish I could be one of these lucky fellas and grow something cool, like a tail. But nope, the only thing I'm growing is sadder

[@jackmarston8337]

As long as you're not growing cancer

[@ImNotaRussianBot]

All I'm growing is bitter.

[@Messypapa]

this guy is great. he has insane "your favorite teacher" energy and i love it

[@TheChocolateSailor19]

Not sure why I got this vibe, but this guy looks like what Ozzy Osbourne would look like if he took a scientific route instead of a musical one lol. Great video nonetheless!

[@sethp26]

I thought the same thing😂

[@maxpulido4268]

Says more about you than anything else.

[@hello7032]

Excellent observation

[@ItsNotJustRice]

Was waiting for him to put on the glasses

[@TheChocolateSailor19]

@@ItsNotJustRice Was honestly hoping he'd say something along the lines of "all this observable evolution is really going off the rails, ya know, like a crazy train or something" xD

[@quentinwolfe2302]

One of my favorite changes is with the polar bear. They have adapted in Canada to hunt beluga whales by going out on rocks in low tide and waiting for the water to rise, which brings in the whales during high tide, and the polar bears jump off of those rocks they waited on and get the whales. I was super anxious about the bears but I’m glad they have adapted.

[@fency117]

They have always done that

[@tywoodley5864]

They always have done that. 🤣

[@bernlin2000]

Great to hear...the ironic thing is even though humans affect climate change the most, we're perhaps the species least about to adapt biologically to all the changes we're making.

[@Normal1855]

In q decade or 2, it's will be global cooling. It's a cycle.

[@zo0ot404]

Thanks bob for showing your complete ignorance to atmospheric science.

[@wird5406]

@@Normal1855 you have no idea what you’re talking about.

[@Aspencio]

we dont need to adapt since our survival rate's so high

[@iloveyellow7214]

If this guy would do regular videos like this in response to our changing environment? im gonna be a permanent lurker here for good hes awesome

[@konkey-dong]

Glad to see Ozzy's moved on to a more wholesome career 😂

[@OktoberVanderslice]

Hahahaha I was thinking he's a dead ringer!!

[@HyperWolf]

Dr. Thor Hanson’s enthusiasm makes me want to retake that one conservation biology class I had to drop. Then I come back to reality and remember all the essays I never turned in and the feeling is gone. Maybe if he was the professor it’d be a different story. 😂

[@jakobsonsaussure2952]

This is so interesting. I hope every biology or science teacher is showing this in every high school in the hopes of inspiring future biologists, scientists and activists.

[@Logandroid]

I love this guy. He’s so charismatic and passionate, I could listen to him talk about things for ages.

[@yourbelowaveragewarthunder8654]

This guy needs to be in more tv shows

[@hazelthakur]

A video by wired makes my day ❤️

[@парень-водка]

@Tommy Gaming 🅥 stfu spam bot ........ reported for spam

[@fernandogil65]

I love listening to smart people!! Specially when they are so passionate about their topics of expertise 🙂

[@infinitetranquilo]

I love this guy. He genuinely cares about the topic and you can hear it in his voice.

[@fractal_mind562]

I do similar experiments to children in my neighbourhood, I capture them on parks and road sides and do experiments on them ! None of them take any serious harm and they're returned weeks later after I've done whatever I want to do :)

[@Ceu.Noturno]

negationists seeing this will be like: "SEE? CLIMATE CHANGE NOT BAD, WE EVOLVE!" because they're too illiterate to even know what evolution/survival of the fittest means

[@HappyMatt12345]

I'm going to ignore the appeal to ridicule here, and say that I don't think it's as bad as some people seem to believe it is, but it's definitely something that could become something very problematic in the future if we aren't careful, and we can (and should, and are actually in some ways) take steps to address it as a society.

[@Dwide_Schrude25]

@@HappyMatt12345 good thing we have actual scientists that disagree with you, so we will actually try to combat it.

[@melusine826]

Survival of the fittest is being the fittest species not individual Survival

[@Dwide_Schrude25]

@@melusine826 That is not true, it is the fittest in terms of adaptations. There can be a single species with different variations. This is can continue until a new species is formed.

[@CrescentUmbreon]

@@HappyMatt12345 I mean, just the social/societal problems alone are already here. Some people will go "Oh see, we'll adapt!", but do they realize that means an acceleration in human migration? Are we...doing anything to prepare for that, and see climate refugees as human? Or are the conservative types going to treat them as animals or peasants worthy only of disdain? We say we'll be fine... But are we really prepared for the suffering? I don't think we are.

[@Impasta007]

I'm so glad to see him back! His passion for his profession is palpable ❤️

[@swostikasharma9647]

Hey, he's back! 😊 I loved his other episode and now Wired brought him back! I'm so happy. I would love to see him again in future episodes.❤️

[@gao1812]

Measures YOU can take to help combat climate change: * Vote for eco-friendly politicians *Reduce or eliminate consumption of meat, eggs and dairy * Take less flights, travel locally for holidays * Have fewer children * Buy less things, keep things for longer * Save electricity

[@lostinmydreams4561]

This guy should have his own series. Love listening to him and learning

[@kashiichan]

I'd love it if he had a podcast.

[@joycechae597]

love that message of 'it's not about worrying less but worrying smarter about the crisis'

[@henderl]

very fascinating - would appreciate links to the studies!

[@cheryl-lynnmehring8606]

We NEED more of this man!!! I learned so much! 💘

[@mordinsolus161]

this dude and the ditch guy are definitely my favorite experts in formats like these

[@greencoloredstar]

I could listen to him talk for aaaaagesss. He's so passionate about biology and I just love it.

[@marcogallo2811]

The difference between someone who talks about climate change as an expert and those who talk about it on either side of the conversation in social media or the news. The expert talks about facts and in not dire terms that things always change, and those who adapt survive, and how we use our research to make intelligent decisions going forward. Social media experts will freak everyone about the world ending because of climate change (because clicks), and climate change deniers will act like its not a thing and humans didn't cause it. "We didn't" technically. Climate's change, but humans took a process that can take thousands of years to occur naturally and did it in a little over 100 years with our industries and continue to since all of our industries grossly pollute the world.

[@CatsAndPokemon]

this is a really important point.. videos like this need to be viral

[@boxedlife789]

It is a worry because while animals can adapt to this selective pressure, plants will find it a lot more difficult as they remain mostly uniform between species, so no mutation for a lot longer. This may reduce food sources for species. Also extinction occurring at 100x the rate it usually has, we can't really afford to let climate change continue as soon enough heat levels will rise at a rate that even animals can't spread the adaptation within a population to ensure survival.

[@happyzone1000]

This video contributed to the human climate change you're arguing about. Do you know how much power was used to shoot, edit and distribute this video? 😂

[@hello7032]

I see your point and you’re partly correct to be sure but science does need to take a side as well and generally does, just the facts stay stated as factd

[@geoffrygifari3377]

mindboggling how it turns out that evolution can act so rapidly

[@kelly-bo-belly]

Then again, it makes sense that the most extreme example of natural selection would appear to have an equally extreme instance of adaptation. In reality, those surviving species may have reached these advantageous traits through a slow process. What we see could simply be an illusion of rapid change that is better described as rapid elimination.

[@Aspencio]

@@kelly-bo-bellyrapid elimination is still rapid change

[@2007cgarza]

Thank you for your interest and action for these animals (general term) :) We need you and people like you.

[@brianswimmer]

Weird thing is that all species have learned to evolve overtime. Even when the forests would burn all day and night and places would flood. Weird that this has been happening since the big bang....

[@ahha6304]

Presented by *Thor Hanson* Narrated by *Gustavo "Guga Foods" Tosta*

[@nicksalvatore5717]

Love this guy, he reminds me of my Anthropology professor.

[@zr4937]

Can we just appreciate the fact that this guys name is Thor.

[@arivette2010]

So good to have him back! He's such a cool person!

[@alexanderblackie6704]

I love this guy so much. He's so enthusiastic about biology and it's amazing.

[@Collerz7]

I love how he ends sentences with a kind of whisper.

[@cheryl-lynnmehring8606]

"If a tiny lizard can evolve to climate change, than it stands to reason that we can evolve to change some of the behaviors that bring it about." Stands to reason being the key words here. I hope we can.

[@BaltimoreAndOhioRR]

Or maybe we could "evolve to climate change" and all will be right with the world...

[@sleyaraze8916]

Hey im 13 and woke up with a stiff appendage rather than flaccid one. Is this evolution? (Genuine concern)

[@silkytofu2728]

This is so interesting to watch. Can anyone suggest more videos like this in connection to biology ? As a zoology student I want to learn more this way.

[@rustyshackleford9888]

Here are several of my go-to biology-related channels!: Interesting evolutionary stories across all life: PBS Eons, Moth Light Media General animal biology/ecology/evolution: Deep Look, Animalogic, Natural World Facts, TierZoo Climate/Biology Intersection: PBS Terra Microbiology: Journey to the Microcosmos, Jam's Germs Miscellaneous biology and more general science topics: It's Okay to be Smart, Real Science

[@marceloguerrero6672]

tier zoo

[@ColinStuckert]

animals have been changing since the dawn of time as has the climate.

[@KateCarew]

Love the optimism at the end! Such doom and gloom normally (I’m guilty of excessive pragmatism myself) but the truth is we CAN shift things, if we don’t accept that change is up to each of us individually we are both destined to fail and relegated to a victim narrative, we relinquish all control.

[@sylwiamezei6744]

Yay, great to see you back!

[@mangokraken]

Young Earth Creationists: GOD DID IT. I SAW HIM. PROOOF. BECAUSE JESUS

[@scottweldon8212]

They are ADAPTING as always. If you want to listen to lies, good luck.

[@Trve_Kvlt]

Adaptation is an evolutionary process, try again.

[@crazydragy4233]

I just love how he talks about this. Somethinn about how he presents is just really atention grabbing. Awesome video! Gonna savour this nee bit of knowledge :d

[@Miamitalentg]

The climate has been"changing" for 4 billion years. Hurricanes , typhoons, etc. Are not any stronger or more frequent than the past . It rained for 2 million years without stopping at one point. The average temperature was much hotter 150 million years ago than it is today.

[@jerryldavis1823]

This topic came to my mind some time ago and it's good to see a video on it.

[@djdanese]

This looks like a video that will be in everyone recomendations one day

[@immemor4870]

Yujiiiiiiiiii!!

[@hanspeter9636]

"No lizards were harmed". Except the clearly visible broken tail

[@sparklythings22]

🥺😭

[@materla4102]

Lizards are pretty much able to losing tail when startled by a louder sound. It just happens.

[@maxpulido4268]

It's a lizard

[@dwightschuette8960]

I am adapting quickly too. I wear my shorts alot longer in the fall because cold weather is coming later in the year.

[@valerian8953]

I waited for this guy to come back. I loved his last video!

[@chasehedges6775]

Animals are just fascinating

[@varsha9682]

Omg, he came backk, thank you so much Wired, and I love listening to you Dr. Hanson

[@Adriana.Gabriela]

That leaf blower experiment was pretty bad and UNscientific, considering he used a pole that was too slick compared to the branches the lizards would hold onto in nature.... On the other hand, a leaf blower is also a lot weaker than a hurricane, but I highly doubt he actually first calculated what the pole's surface would have to be like compared to the difference between an average hurricane and the leaf blower. Also, the pole was obviously not "elastic" enough to simulate tree branches in a hurricane. All in all, a very bad and unscientific experiement. Why do usually "scientists" who ignore the scientific principle to a good extent end up in the media?

[@blueberry01120]

You should read the original study before being so decisive (Donihue et al., 2018; Nature). The aim wasn't to assay natural selection due to hurricanes per se but to determine if forelimb size had any impact on clinging capability which could then be used to extrapolate if forelimb size had any impact on lizard survival in hurricane winds (i.e., did the sample of lizards post-hurricane season have different-sized forelimbs versus before?).

[@Adriana.Gabriela]

@@blueberry01120 "if forelimb size had any impact on clinging capability [.../] lizard survival in hurricane winds" - size may (or may not) help the lizard to be carried by the wind (hurricane) less, and thus make it able to hold on to the branch longer (then it could be further discussed if there would be any difference after it gets carried away by it). *The lizard needs to be able to hold onto the pole in the first place for the experiment to make sense, because no evolutional change will help him in an experiment where the pole it too slick for the lizard to properly hold onto it. Even if he used the exact same setup with the "old" lizards". The difference between the surface of that pole and branches is too big for it to make sense in scientific terms. It's like trying to see which bike gloves have a better grip of a bike wheel (which is made of rubber and has a lot of indents), but then testing both of them on a lubricated metal pole. The lubrication part here is because bike gloves don't have claws, so there has to be some compensation for the difference a slick pole would make, where the lizard can find no indentations to stick his claws in, as opposed to branches who have a lot of them

[@playmsbk]

@@Adriana.Gabriela but both types of lizards have an equal disadvantage by the smooth pole, the experiment didn't mean to produce any data on the ability of the lizards to survive actual hurricanes in the wild, if that were the case the leafblower isn't appropriate either, it simply compared which type of lizard could better hold on a stick when blown with air.

[@E2O10]

No, it wasn't. It proved what it set out to prove. The use of the pole versus an actual tree/branch doesn't matter in this case - since they tested both types of lizard with the same pole, they both had the same conditions, doesn't matter that they weren't "the right" conditions, still, equal conditions. Same for the leaf blower - like they said, it's kind of hard to take scientific data during a hurricane; unless you're volunteering to do it - to get those "right" conditions? You're missing the point of the experiment

[@Adriana.Gabriela]

@@playmsbk you can never properly (scientifically) test something if your parameters aren't right. And these weren't. These were only testing their ability to hold onto a slick pole, which isn't something they wull generally find/hold onto in nature. Even if it wasn't about hurricanes. Theoretically, they can have different or semi-different means of latching onto things (like stickiness vs. other mechanical aids, protrusions, etc.), meaning one will be better at holding onto certain types of surfaces, and the other at other certain types. You need to have all your parameters in order to be able to have a valid experiement.

[@DoahnKea_Tuber]

Passionate Educators are the true Stars!

[@yona-yama]

I loved his summary at the end. Worded well.

[@joachimquintus]

I have a questions about the lizards, the hurricanes in the Caribbeans have been around for as long as the Caribbean existed, and yes they have been some very strong periods too. Are the lizards changing because of the hurricanes which have existed for millennia or because of otger reasons?. Maybe them holding on in strong winds is a side effect? Is correlation also causation in this case?

[@ArbrusMN]

Sheesh I knew the comment section was gonna be a shitshow but this is disheartening. Just putting your fingers in your ear and refusing to acknowledge evidence doesn't make it go away. Smugness and willful ignorance are quite the infuriating combination...

[@rexfenris4856]

"...worry smart...", I think you just cured my anxiety.

[@Sleepwalk3rr]

This guy is so captivating in his presentation

[@eliuminati]

I clicked on this video because it sounded similar to a book I'm reading "Hurricane Lizards and Plastic Squid" turns out the author is the man in this video! Awesome!

[@Vivii_666]

"if a tiny lizard can evolve in response to climate change, we can change some of the behaviours that are bringing it about" so true!

[@BaltimoreAndOhioRR]

Or maybe we could also change to adapt to it, possibly bettering ourselves....?????

[@Nytt280]

May God give everyone the strength to become what they want to be.

[@parkkooklietjeonjimeo6214]

Gracias mi vida

[@hello7032]

Aw this was actually nice

[@hordebucket8971]

This is natural selection not evolution

[@budd2nd]

Natural selection is one of the causes of evolution, it drives evolution.

[@BA-ji1zh]

I want Dr. Hanson to have his own series.

[@Urocero]

We love Thor Hanson keep him coming!

[@thunderinvader9031]

Ah yes he returned

[@GarrickSteyn]

I find it incredibly odd that a scientist is not using metric in his descriptions. Please use metric so the world (excluding the tiny population of the US) can understand.

[@user-mq9lx9im3x]

dam lets hope nothing crazy happens when animals are evolving why can’t humans evolve to a supreme being

[@alfarisocean]

Cause we are lazy duh

[@RichtheHero]

Because we ultimately have a lot more control over our environment than other animals. Increasing water levels for a human: build a dam, for an animal: over time aquatic adaptations would be selected for.

[@Embrosia]

Cause we pretty much already are. Humans are apex predators that have completely shifted the power balance of the world. I doubt there's a single discovered species that we haven't killed in one way or another. We are supreme beings as you put it. Although we are still evolving. We just don't have as many environment pressures to do so in a way that's as noticeable as other creatures

[@evanoverzet921]

imagine being one of the lizards who got caught. “JERRY! JERRY, YOU WONT BELIEVE WHAT JUST HAPPENED”

[@tylerhall9412]

More people need to see these videos. The amount of people I meet who don't believe in evolution, just because they don't understand it, is genuinely upsetting.

[@rdizzy1]

Usually the reason they end up confused is because of creationists blatantly lying about what evolution is, and how it works. (IE- Them telling people a dog just becomes a duck magically.)

[@batmanimeanbatman3733]

"Survival of the Fittest is merely a theory." --Panda.

[@sonnikdoh2510]

Almost as if this a Natural thing that Nature is already pre-equipped for.

[@jameskirk5906]

Let's go Brandon!

[@Kaanfight]

I love anoles! So lucky to have so many of them in Florida!

[@slappurplecows]

This guy is my favorite educator on here