Developmental biology uncovers similarities in embryonic stages from "summary" of The Greatest Show on Earth by Richard Dawkins
In the course of its development from embryo to adult, an animal typically goes through a series of stages that bear a striking resemblance to those of other animals. This phenomenon has been known for a long time, but it was not until the advent of modern developmental biology that the full significance of these similarities began to be appreciated. One of the most famous examples of this is the fact that all vertebrate embryos, from fish to humans, go through a stage where they possess gill slits. In fish, these slits develop into gills, which are used for breathing underwater. In humans, they disappear before birth, but the fact that they are present at all is a powerful piece of evidence for our shared evolutionary history with other vertebrates. Another striking example is the fact that all vertebrate embryos have a tail at some point in their development. In humans, this tail disappears as the embryo matures, but the fact that it is present at all is further evidence of our shared ances...
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