Stephen S. Hall

Well, snakes shed their skin after a certain period of time. It varies between species. But the skin starts to get a little bit fuzzy and duller. And then they basically find a sharp object like a rock. and from head to toe just kind of wriggle out of their old skin and suddenly it's like you just bought a new suit.

Well, snakes shed their skin after a certain period of time. It varies between species. But the skin starts to get a little bit fuzzy and duller. And then they basically find a sharp object like a rock. and from head to toe just kind of wriggle out of their old skin and suddenly it's like you just bought a new suit.

It looks absolutely pristine and beautiful and because of this color variation in stakes, they look absolutely great.

It looks absolutely pristine and beautiful and because of this color variation in stakes, they look absolutely great.

It looks absolutely pristine and beautiful and because of this color variation in stakes, they look absolutely great.

The flip side of that, and again this has just emerged in the last couple of years, is you can tell these sort of evolutionary stories where snakes have independently evolved the exact same qualities even though they share no common ancestry and no common lineage. There was an article in Science a couple years ago that looked at three different types of spitting cobras.

The flip side of that, and again this has just emerged in the last couple of years, is you can tell these sort of evolutionary stories where snakes have independently evolved the exact same qualities even though they share no common ancestry and no common lineage. There was an article in Science a couple years ago that looked at three different types of spitting cobras.

The flip side of that, and again this has just emerged in the last couple of years, is you can tell these sort of evolutionary stories where snakes have independently evolved the exact same qualities even though they share no common ancestry and no common lineage. There was an article in Science a couple years ago that looked at three different types of spitting cobras.

These are cobras who actually spit their venom. They don't bite you, but they spit it. They evolved in completely different places. They independently evolved the anatomy that allowed them to spit as opposed to bite. They independently evolved the behavior to spit specifically at the eyes of something that was threatening them, only at the eyes.

These are cobras who actually spit their venom. They don't bite you, but they spit it. They evolved in completely different places. They independently evolved the anatomy that allowed them to spit as opposed to bite. They independently evolved the behavior to spit specifically at the eyes of something that was threatening them, only at the eyes.

These are cobras who actually spit their venom. They don't bite you, but they spit it. They evolved in completely different places. They independently evolved the anatomy that allowed them to spit as opposed to bite. They independently evolved the behavior to spit specifically at the eyes of something that was threatening them, only at the eyes.

And they specifically and independently evolved venoms that contained a component that caused excruciating eye pain. So, they all started in different places at different times and yet they arrived at the same kind of solution to the problem of a threat.

And they specifically and independently evolved venoms that contained a component that caused excruciating eye pain. So, they all started in different places at different times and yet they arrived at the same kind of solution to the problem of a threat.

And they specifically and independently evolved venoms that contained a component that caused excruciating eye pain. So, they all started in different places at different times and yet they arrived at the same kind of solution to the problem of a threat.

It's really fascinating that as an example of what's called convergent evolution, which is different species in different places end up looking or doing things that are quite similar just because it's an advantage to develop those qualities.

It's really fascinating that as an example of what's called convergent evolution, which is different species in different places end up looking or doing things that are quite similar just because it's an advantage to develop those qualities.

It's really fascinating that as an example of what's called convergent evolution, which is different species in different places end up looking or doing things that are quite similar just because it's an advantage to develop those qualities.

i wanted to ask you about snakes as pets i know people sometimes have snakes as pets but what kind of pets are they do i mean do they have personalities if you talk to people who have snakes or study snakes they will tell you that they have distinct personalities i had a number of people researchers up to including rattlesnakes that they have personalities some of them are kind of ornery

i wanted to ask you about snakes as pets i know people sometimes have snakes as pets but what kind of pets are they do i mean do they have personalities if you talk to people who have snakes or study snakes they will tell you that they have distinct personalities i had a number of people researchers up to including rattlesnakes that they have personalities some of them are kind of ornery

i wanted to ask you about snakes as pets i know people sometimes have snakes as pets but what kind of pets are they do i mean do they have personalities if you talk to people who have snakes or study snakes they will tell you that they have distinct personalities i had a number of people researchers up to including rattlesnakes that they have personalities some of them are kind of ornery