Chris Doughty

And so there was no evolutionary reason for seeds to get big. But what happened was after the dinosaurs went extinct, the forest got really dark.

For a little seed, that's trouble. You know, these little seeds, they need light.

For a little seed, that's trouble. You know, these little seeds, they need light.

For a little seed, that's trouble. You know, these little seeds, they need light.

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Know that fizzy feeling you get when you read something really good, watch the movie everyone's been talking about, or catch the show that the internet can't get over? At the Pop Culture Happy Hour podcast, we chase that feeling four times a week. We'll serve you recommendations and commentary on the buzziest movies, TV, music, and more.

Know that fizzy feeling you get when you read something really good, watch the movie everyone's been talking about, or catch the show that the internet can't get over? At the Pop Culture Happy Hour podcast, we chase that feeling four times a week. We'll serve you recommendations and commentary on the buzziest movies, TV, music, and more.

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That's right. So species go extinct all the time. And it's not unusual. It's just part of nature. But certain things happen that drastically accelerate this process, that make it so 80%, 90% of species go extinct. So what distinguishes a mass extinction from just a normal extinction is many more species are going extinct, and it's global.

That's right. So species go extinct all the time. And it's not unusual. It's just part of nature. But certain things happen that drastically accelerate this process, that make it so 80%, 90% of species go extinct. So what distinguishes a mass extinction from just a normal extinction is many more species are going extinct, and it's global.

That's right. So species go extinct all the time. And it's not unusual. It's just part of nature. But certain things happen that drastically accelerate this process, that make it so 80%, 90% of species go extinct. So what distinguishes a mass extinction from just a normal extinction is many more species are going extinct, and it's global.

No, no, no. Yeah, it is difficult to try to piece these together. So the first starting point was we had colleagues that literally scraped off fossils from leaves right before the extinctions and pretty much right after the extinctions. And we could test the chemistry of those leaves, and we could actually say how much light these leaves got.

No, no, no. Yeah, it is difficult to try to piece these together. So the first starting point was we had colleagues that literally scraped off fossils from leaves right before the extinctions and pretty much right after the extinctions. And we could test the chemistry of those leaves, and we could actually say how much light these leaves got.

No, no, no. Yeah, it is difficult to try to piece these together. So the first starting point was we had colleagues that literally scraped off fossils from leaves right before the extinctions and pretty much right after the extinctions. And we could test the chemistry of those leaves, and we could actually say how much light these leaves got.

And so for one of the first times, we were able to accurately quantify how much less light was in this understory after the dinosaurs went extinct. And then what we were able to do was go into rainforests and study how plants grow. And so, you know, from that perspective, we could see how tall would you get at a given seed size? And it's a very strong correlation.

And so for one of the first times, we were able to accurately quantify how much less light was in this understory after the dinosaurs went extinct. And then what we were able to do was go into rainforests and study how plants grow. And so, you know, from that perspective, we could see how tall would you get at a given seed size? And it's a very strong correlation.

And so for one of the first times, we were able to accurately quantify how much less light was in this understory after the dinosaurs went extinct. And then what we were able to do was go into rainforests and study how plants grow. And so, you know, from that perspective, we could see how tall would you get at a given seed size? And it's a very strong correlation.

So if you're small, you develop into a tiny little seedling. And if you're a big seed, you develop into a big seedling. And then we can go even further and look at modern megafauna like forest elephants. and see, you know, how do they open up the understory?