Innovations and Novelty - Simon Conway Morris's 1996 Christmas Lectures 4/5

Fossils are used to explore the origin of animals and their development afterwards with Simon Conway Morris. Watch all the lectures in this series here: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLbnrZHfNEDZzdMQVD4AlulgOhBFctDhNo&si=-FAfHueXe9HncJyA Watch our newest Christmas lectures here: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLbnrZHfNEDZyQJZLPMjwEoOLdkFBLU2m1 This was recorded on 4 Dec 1996. -- This year marks 200 years of the Royal Institution Christmas Lectures — a world famous series showcasing science, curiosity, and mind-blowing demos, and started by the legendary Michael Faraday himself. To celebrate, we're unlocking the archive. Every Saturday, we’ll upload a classic lecture to our YouTube channel — some not seen since they aired on TV. Sign up as a Science Supporter and get early access here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCYeF244yNGuFefuFKqxIAXw/join -- From the 1996 programme notes: In this demo–packed CHRISTMAS LECTURE, Conway Morris takes the audience through the Cambrian explosion, which marks a significant appearance of animal fossil remains. Fossils from this period help scientists understand how creatures evolved into today's mammals such as whales and he even uses a giant millipede to explain fossil markings. -- About the 1996 CHRISTMAS LECTURES Palaeontologist Simon Conway Morris delivers five lectures on the important role fossils and bones play in helping us understand the past. In this set of engaging lectures and demonstrations from Conway Morris, he explains how fossils' markings have helped humans piece together the history of the planet. There's an exploration of pre-historic creatures and dinosaurs including what caused their extinction. As well as a look at how life and mammals developed after this time and how we can trace our ancestry back more than 3 billion years. Find out more about the CHRISTMAS LECTURES here: https://www.rigb.org/christmas-lectures --- Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCYeF244yNGuFefuFKqxIAXw/join Subscribe for regular science videos: http://bit.ly/RiSubscRibe The Ri is on Twitter: http://twitter.com/ri_science and Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/royalinstitution and TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@ri_science Listen to the Ri podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/ri-science-podcast Donate to the RI and help us bring you more lectures: https://www.rigb.org/support-us/donate-ri Our editorial policy: https://www.rigb.org/editing-ri-talks-and-moderating-comments Subscribe for the latest science videos: http://bit.ly/RiNewsletter Product links on this page may be affiliate links which means it won't cost you any extra but we may earn a small commission if you decide to purchase through the link.