Global warming ushered in the evolution of reptiles, say Harvard researchers 

The negative impact of global warming is wide and far reaching. Not only humans, the animal kingdom is equally affected. A recent finding about the impact of global warming has, however, surprised the scientist community. Why?  Research by a team of Harvard researchers has revealed that massive rise in temperatures over the years has led to the evolution of reptiles. They are of the opinion that it was accelerated by almost 60 million years of global warming and climate change. The findings have been published in the journal Science Advances in a study titled ‘Successive climate crises in the deep past drove the early evolution and radiation of reptiles.’ Here’s everything else you need to know about this mind-blowing discovery. 

Age of Reptiles: All hail global warming 
Scientists often explore the impact of environmental crises on the evolution of species by conducting studies on climate-change induced mass extinctions, throughout the geological past. For instance, two of the largest mass extinctions happened in between Middle Permian (265 million years ago) and Middle Triassic (230 million years ago) during a series of climactic shifts driven by global heatwave. In fact, this had led to the elimination of nearly 86 per cent of life on earth.  

But now, something completely opposite and unbelievable has been found. Turns out that towards the late Permian period, reptiles started emerging as one of the most dominant groups of terrestrial vertebrates. Not only that, their growth was both rapid and large-scale, bordering on the lines of overpopulation. Earlier, most researchers believed that this Age of Reptiles was triggered by the complete extinction of their competitors, enabling them to take over the ecosystem. But now it turns out that the quick rate of evolution and diversification of reptiles were due to rising temperatures worldwide through a long series of climate change that had lasted for nearly 60 million years, a record in itself.  

Reptiles and Darwin’s theory of survival of the fittest 
For the latest study, the team of biologists studied more than 1000 fossil specimens of more than 125 species such as amniotes (forerunners of modern reptiles), synapsids and all their close relatives. This revealed how the species have survived series of climactic crises including the ones that have led to massive-scale extinction of other animals. In fact, this study also proves that reptiles not only follow their own unique evolutionary paths, but are superior to all other group of animals, once again proving Darwin’s theory of survival of the fittest.  

Are reptiles the fastest evolving species? 
Interestingly, the study has also shed light on how reptiles were perhaps the fastest evolving species of animals on earth. Scientific data suggests that till late Permian Age, reptiles were nowhere in sight, but in the following age, aka the early Triassic Age, they not only emerged but beat all other land animals. In fact, within a few million years, they were booming in number, with the onset of crocodiles, lizards, turtles and other major groups of reptiles.  

Admirable adaptability 
Research also reveals that reptiles displayed an adaptive response towards climate change and new environmental conditions, while themselves going through significant anatomical transformations. One such example is the lepidosaurs, the predecessors of modern-day lizards. They simply survived by emitting their body heat more than soaking in the heat of the surrounding environment. This helped them cope with the drastic changes in temperatures. As for the large-sized reptiles, they either migrated closer to temperate regions or found respite in the underwater world. We all know how water is a good heat absorbent, much better than air.