Strange Mammal Ancestor Laid Huge, Leathery Eggs —‬ and It Was Key to Surviving the World's Worst Mass Extinction

Strange mammal ancestor laid huge, leathery eggs —‬ and it was key to surviving the world's worst mass extinction

Using synchrotron X-ray CT scans of a fossilized, intact embryo, researchers found evidence that the plant-eating mammal Lystrosaurus laid eggs, which answers a key question about mammalian evolution.

X-Rays Reveal First Evidence That Mammal Ancestors Laid Eggs

This could help explain how they survived Earth's worst extinction. ScienceAlert stories are written, fact-checked, and edited by humans, never generated by AI. Don't miss a story, subscribe here.

250-million-year-old fossil proves mammal ancestors laid eggs

Laying eggs may have helped mammal ancestors thrive after Earth’s worst mass extinction

This 250-million-year-old fossil proves mammal ancestors laid eggs

Researchers studying a 250-million-year-old fossil have found the first ever proof that mammal ancestors laid eggs, with the discovery also shedding light on a remarkable survival story.