How do scientists get information about the evolutionary history of species?
1 Answer
Scientists look at the fossil record, compare any DNA they can find and compare embryo development.
Explanation:
The fossil record has many past (and sometimes present) species whose bones are preserved and then uncovered. Similar bones and bone structures can point to a specific species being a predecessor or a successor of a species.
Similar DNA means similar proteins which means similar species. Every couple million years a big mutation (usually) occurs, letting scientists come up with an estimate of how long ago the species existed and how similar it was to today's species (or it could have turned extinct in the meantime)
Embryo development is another key point. Most mammals look alike in the early stages of the embryo development, pointing to the fact that they all share a common ancestor.
