When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. The human outer ear may have arisen from ancient fish gills. | Credit: A. Martin UW ...

It turns out the human ear got off to a fishy start. Literally. A fascinating new study reveals that the mammalian outer ear has its evolutionary roots in the gills of ancient fish. This surprising ...

The outer ear is unique to mammals, but its evolutionary origin has remained a mystery. According to a new study published in Nature from the USC Stem Cell lab of Gage Crump, this intricate coil of ...

Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights. I write about biodiversity and the hidden quirks of the natural world. ‘Lungfish’ would have been a common sight in the Devonian ...

Humans' outer ears may have evolved from the gills of prehistoric fish, a new study finds. Gene-editing experiments indicate that cartilage in fish gills migrated into the ear canal millions of years ...