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New Zealand Tree Stuck In Evolutionary Time Warp

Posted by Soulskill on from the decompress-the-shuttlebay dept.

sciencehabit writes "A eucalyptus-like tree from New Zealand is still waging a battle that should have ended over 500 years ago. The tree continues to sport evolutionary adaptations, such as barbed leaves, to protect it from a large, flightless bird known as a moa. There's just one problem: the moa went extinct around 1500 AD."

3 of 337 comments (clear)

  1. It isn't instant. by DarkNinja75 · · Score: 5, Informative

    And humans still have tailbones.

  2. Bad example? by pjt33 · · Score: 4, Informative

    You're assuming that the human appendix is useless, which isn't necessarily the case. There are at least two open suggestions as to its function.

  3. Re:In other related news... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Informative

    Men have nipple because all foetuses are female until 12 weeks. If sufficient testosterone is given at this time the foetus develops as male.