Why Did These Ancient Gophers Have Horns?
Ғылым және технология
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These odd rodents belong to a genus known as Ceratogaulus, but they’re more commonly called horned gophers, because, you guessed it, they had horns. And it turns out the horns probably had a purpose - one that rodents would likely benefit from today.
Samantha Hopkins’ 2005 paper on Ceratogaulus with figures featured in this episode (Thanks, Samantha!): royalsocietypublishing.org/do...
Thanks to Ceri Thomas (nixillustration.com), Lucas Lima (252mya.com/gallery/lucas-lima), R. Bruce Horsfall, and Roman Uchytel for allowing us to use their wonderful paleoart in this episode.
Produced in collaboration with PBS Digital Studios: / pbsdigitalstudios
Super special thanks to the following Patreon patrons for helping make Eons possible:
Matt D, Yu Mei, Colleen Troussel, Dan Ritter, Ian Greenblatt, Drew Hart, Amanda Straw, Stephanie TanMinyuan Li, Olesya Mikulskaya, Robert Noah, Matt Parker, Heathe Kyle Yeakley, Jerrit Erickson, Jack Arbuckle, David Sewall, Anton Bryl, Missy Elliott Smith, Zachary Spencer, Stefan Weber, Andrey, Ilya Murashov, Larry Wilson, Merri Snaidman, Gabriel Cortez, Marcus Lejon, Robert Arévalo, Todd Dittman, Esmeralda Rupp-Spangle, Betsy Radley, Anthony Callaghan, Laura Sanborn, PS, Philip Slingerland, John Vanek, Eric Vonk, Henrik Peteri, Jon Monteiro, James Bording, Miles Chaston, Michael McClellan, Jeff Graham, Maria Humphrey, Daisuke Goto, Hubert Rady, Gregory Kintz, Tyson, Chandler Bass, Joao Ascensao, Tsee Lee, Robert Hill.
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References: docs.google.com/document/d/1-...
Пікірлер: 973
Such a tragedy we no longer have real-life Nidorans.
@xX_wiLLiam_Xx
3 жыл бұрын
Indeed
@themagichatter1054
3 жыл бұрын
Truely we are in the darkest timeline.
@RikoJAmado
3 жыл бұрын
You comment is the only Nidoran reference. This comment board disappoints me.
@Travissquid18
3 жыл бұрын
This guy gets it
@threeomgthree
3 жыл бұрын
Lolllll
If this channel has taught me anything: everything has had a giant version, or some crazy appendage.
@tommyswoodpileadventuresan5940
3 жыл бұрын
Caleb Fairfield even humans?
@alformodoritos2076
3 жыл бұрын
Is a crocodile size (or nearly) ant been discovered yet? 😂🐜
@bird2034
3 жыл бұрын
Tommy's Woodpile Adventures And Tall Tales Foot thumb
@krankarvolund7771
3 жыл бұрын
@@alformodoritos2076 Okay not everything, ants have appeared after the Carboniferous and the giant insects, so they're not gonna be this size ^^
@NukelearFallout
3 жыл бұрын
Just remember, there were possibly millions of dinosaurs, and we've only discovered a mere 700 skeletal remains we've fully identified and studied. That number of species doesn't compare to all the species in the time periods before that, and the ones before that. The history of our planet is over 4 billion years old, plenty of time for evolutionary traits of all sorts -- and evolution and adaption still happen to this day. On top of discovering old deceased species, we find hundreds of new species every year; of course it doesn't amount to how many we have yet to find, and how many have gone extinct in today's time period before we caused a rampant decline in species. Anyhow, now imagine the vastness of infinite space, where we have discovered clusters of galaxies -- and we've only discovered a over a mere 10 thousand planets/stars. Just an interesting thought, and there's more to these ideas.
They were the prehistoric equivolent of stray legos on the ground. Unweary predators and passersby would know true pain after stepping on this fellow.
@november8039
3 жыл бұрын
Ah yes, the often overlooked Lego niche. Occupied today by sea urchins and hedgehogs.
@IrisGlowingBlue
3 жыл бұрын
+
@epauletshark3793
3 жыл бұрын
And they were mobile. They could intentionally move under the feet of predators.
@leeleaman8057
6 ай бұрын
@@epauletshark3793I just pictured Lego’s with that ability … the horror
"What kind of geology joke is this, Holmes?" "Sedimentary, my dear Watson."
@Infernoraptor
3 жыл бұрын
My God, this one is amazing
@pierreabbat6157
3 жыл бұрын
My sediments exactly.
@kinkybon-bon5346
3 жыл бұрын
Metamorphicly perfect
@AskMia411
2 жыл бұрын
Underrated comment!
If rodents still had horns it would have made Groundhog Day even more interesting.
@lahavmorris9919
3 жыл бұрын
They would be called hornhogs!
@lahavmorris9919
3 жыл бұрын
It it would become hornhog day!
@farkasmactavish
3 жыл бұрын
Or Caddyshack.
@randiplays1980
3 жыл бұрын
Hahaha. U guys just made my day.
@josiahhockenberry9846
3 жыл бұрын
Hmm... Would be hard to improve upon one of the greatest movies of all time but, I think that would work. Maybe there could be a fight scene between man and rodent right after Murray takes of with the truck and just before he drives off the cliff. 😂
It also would have made it harder for snakes to swallow it.
@Koshiplays2
3 жыл бұрын
dracdrum no because snakes can just avoid the horns while eating the by expanding there throats correct me if iam wrong
@noahsaiz7536
3 жыл бұрын
Mahnoor Naz how you gonna eat a horn
@Koshiplays2
3 жыл бұрын
Noah Saiz snakes dont really eat there food they have acid that is way more potent then humans so they dont chew
@seretith3513
3 жыл бұрын
That still would make a Dead Rodent
@Rusk-zk2ch
3 жыл бұрын
Mahnoor Naz Mahnoor Naz I have two snakes and there’s a cap for how large they can expand around prey. For example, neither of my snakes can swallow prey back-to-front because the limbs don’t bend down against the body. A horn would be much harder to deal with than limbs. Also, the snake would have to keep its body expanded around where the horn was until it got digested enough to no longer be a potential threat to their internal organs, which would be unusual for a snake since they sort of go back to being normal snake shaped as soon as their prey has passed through that specific part of their body. It would probably also hinder their movement, thus making eating a horned rodent an overall bad choice
GLORY TO THE HORNED RAT!
@donutrock2132
3 жыл бұрын
Horned rat is greatest rat, yes yes.
@daleicious1528
3 жыл бұрын
Praise be!
@mesho05666
3 жыл бұрын
yesyes
@MutantGoblinCaravan
3 жыл бұрын
Yes-yes!
@Sandwich13455
3 жыл бұрын
Hail to the horny rodents!!
Normal Folks: Rhino Rats A Warhammer Fan: The Great Horned Rat!!
@ltericdavis2237
3 жыл бұрын
Yes-yes. More more horned rats!
@FirstDagger
3 жыл бұрын
Horns to kill Eagle-things. Yes-yes.
@merrittanimation7721
3 жыл бұрын
SKAVEN
@gazoofio
3 жыл бұрын
GREAT HORNED RAT DAY!
@Al3xtheMeh
3 жыл бұрын
Yes-yes! This pleases the council.
"Just" a few million years ago.... Feels like yesterday hahaha!
@heinuchung8680
3 жыл бұрын
kinkhoest “said earth”
@Ratciclefan
3 жыл бұрын
I think modern humans already existed by then, but I might be wrong :P
@elijahmikhail4566
3 жыл бұрын
Juan D'Marco Other Homo species would've. Anatomically modern humans, however, are commonly accepted to have risen just 250000 years ago.
@zack7122
3 жыл бұрын
Elijah Mikhail thanks for the scient
@kinkhoest
3 жыл бұрын
Of course I understand in the grand scheme of things, a few million years is nothing. But for a human being to comprehend the length of a million years is already challenging. Let's say a million years is around 50K human generations... I know who my great great grandfather was but earlier than this? No clue.....
Finally a creature that actually used its horns for defense
@aislygncovante7524
Жыл бұрын
Right? By now I'm just sneering at my screen like "You're not so tough, Mr. I use this to appeal to women. You have a spike coming out of your head, use it!"
"Gopher it" Oh Kallie... 🤦🏻♀️
Recognition of the indigenous groups is so great. People only know the few large names, forgetting the other groups that existed. I like learning who else lived there.
well, horned gophers will now haunt my dreams. quips aside, thank you for that acknowledgement of indigenous peoples and traditional lands. this keeps discussions and recognition going.
@Thumbsupurbum
3 жыл бұрын
Just think of them as horny rats. Then they aren't so scary.
@jayfeatherthesnarkymedicin8160
3 жыл бұрын
DirtyBlastard ... um....
@rockingthemike
3 жыл бұрын
@@Thumbsupurbum hahahahaha.... now we're dealing with a whole other image!
The Great Horned Rat approves, yes-yes
@akumaking1
3 жыл бұрын
You mean it's new alias, Mickey Mouse.
@leoarenque9917
3 жыл бұрын
Ring the bell 13 times!!!
@archaon1400
3 жыл бұрын
FOR THE VERMINTIDE
She’s my favorite host. I love when she’s on an episode of Eons.
@ditzfough
3 жыл бұрын
Great speaker. Knowledgable. And easy on the eyes.
@TylerThomas
3 жыл бұрын
same! I was going to say it if no one else had haha
@richynguyen8
3 жыл бұрын
her voice is so soothing
@theghostofyourwastedmoney9007
Жыл бұрын
Her favorite movie is Tremors, which is cool.
I love how silly you are - never change or dim to fit in, Kallie 💜💜💜
These prehistoric nature mood swings bring me such joy
I appreciate immensely that you have closed captions for deaf and hard of hearing subscribers; it would be really neat if your acknowledgement of Indigenous territories were audio narrated, for the sake of visually impaired people who otherwise enjoy the channel.
@Sparrow-lh9qk
3 жыл бұрын
As one of said HoH subscribers, yes! I so much appreciate the captions, especially since so few people will actually include them. I also agree that the acknowledgement should have been narrated.
@DrBunnyMedicinal
3 жыл бұрын
That's an excellent suggestion. I love the recent addition of the acknowledgement of the indigenous territories involved in an episode. Having it narrated would be an even better idea!
@skyscreamstudios
3 жыл бұрын
I'm always happy when indigenous territories and First Nations acknowledgements are included. It happens so rarely. I also agree that narration of it would have been educational for the visually impaired.
@daleicious1528
3 жыл бұрын
WHAT?
random trivia: rhinoceros literally means “nose horn”
Thanks for including the acknowledgement of native tribes and lands. It's a good step to include that. I'd appreciate it at the beginning of the videos too, so people see it going in.
I feel like the horns may have evolved specifically for predation by snakes. It seems like a perfect defense for being swallowed head first! Just a guess though. 🤷🏽♂️🤔
@patreekotime4578
Жыл бұрын
A: that would be a real big snake. B: many would have to survive the attempt in order to pass on the genes, and AFAIK snakes dont generally try to swallow live prey because most rodents have sharp claws and teeth and could easily kill a snake from the inside.
@jaywu2856
Жыл бұрын
snakes swallow their prey head first. to be effective vs swallowing, horns would have to be facing away from the face rather than towards.
This show is so binge worthy!!! So amazing we can date things so far far far away in the past. Amazing things happened on this sphere of life.
Really appreciate the shout out at the end for all of the Native American Tribes. Please keep this up it is an amazing standard to set!
Im a simple person I see a new PBS eons video, I click
Man, 24 seconds since upload I'm seeing gophers with horns. Hype.
Good work on acknowledging the traditional custodians of the land on which the fossils were found. That is both respectful and a step towards reconciliation. Thank you.
It never ceases to amaze me how crazy evolution can get sometimes. Thanks for sharing the story of these very odd rodwnts.
@maksphoto78
3 жыл бұрын
The craziest mammal of them all - Chalicothere. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chalicothere
I love these paleontological detective stories!
Gopher it! :-) love it
@pmr4123
3 жыл бұрын
Aww come now, everyone knows natural history puns are the highest form of humor!
@artsy8490
3 жыл бұрын
Minuteearth would like to know your location
@VeteranVandal
3 жыл бұрын
It was funny and embarrassing at the same time.
"metamorphic rock -- under a lot of pressure." Ha ha; gneiss one.
@chelsey8737
2 жыл бұрын
I laughed way too hard at this
I love how peaceful and relaxed so many of the gophers look in the art in this video
Thank you for telling us which native lands these fossils come from!
@Finallybianca
3 жыл бұрын
Largest contraction of their fossils are here in Nebraska
I'm really glad Eons is now acknowledging native peoples' lands now:)
@Freakmaster480
3 жыл бұрын
Eveyone is an immigrant. It's just a matter of how early your family immigrated.
@Freakmaster480
3 жыл бұрын
@Jordon Carlson It's why, even if the term is a little gaudy, I prefer first peoples. At least it's probably accurate.
Ohhh... I was hoping you were going to tell me that the Jackalope was real. :(
@culwin
3 жыл бұрын
Jackalopes are lagomorphs, not rodents
@leleforsythe9756
3 жыл бұрын
@@SwayRod836 the jackalope isn’t real as well as the fact that rabbits are lagomorphs not rodents
Beautiful that you acknowledge the indigenous peoples that were and are still present in those fossil sites :)
@android584
3 жыл бұрын
Solutreans?
@pimbu936
2 жыл бұрын
Hey, one time I was at that site, I should get an acknowledgment too! Yes, you really are being that stupid
@AC-fg4kg
2 жыл бұрын
@@pimbu936 Yeh man, you really got him there, definitely didn’t make yourself look like an idiot.
One of my all time favorite paleo-creatures finally gets some much-deserved spotlight 🤟
@thewhovianhippo7103
3 жыл бұрын
Funny thing I was reading about this creatures last week
Nature at some point went through a "slap horns on everything" phase.
My mood right now, eons and something to drink
@ulisesvargasmoreno3839
3 жыл бұрын
Every friday for me
@DutchBane
3 жыл бұрын
Out of a horn?
So this is where the idea of a horned rabbit (from fantasy worlds) came from. I truly enjoy learning about adaptation and evolution for storytelling's sake. There are so many crazy blueprints in the evolution lines. I love it.
Thank you for acknowledging that fossil hunting often occurred, and occurs, on the lands of indigenous people without those peoples’ consent or recognition.
I really love you guys. The stupid jokes at the end this time made me feel all warm and fuzzy inside. Thanks for everything
Okay, I admit it, I actually laughed out loud with the 'gopher it' joke at the end! I really enjoy learning about all these animals that were such a mystery for so long, it's interesting to see how our understanding of adaptations has evolved over time.
@tt-ew7rx
2 жыл бұрын
I was breathlessly waiting for it for so long that I almost ended my breathing career.
Love this channel, PBS Eons can y'all do a video on the new tail of Spinosaurus?
@synthia8703
3 жыл бұрын
Didn't you ask this on the last episode of Eons?
@Christian_Sims
3 жыл бұрын
@@synthia8703 yep and gonna keep doin it till we get it lol
@thewhovianhippo7103
3 жыл бұрын
Agreed
Ceratogaulus: YOU WILL SUFFER THE PAIN OF A THOUSAND DEATHS BY MY HORNS Bear-dog: steps on Ceratogaulus, then proceeds to Howie Scream
I love the acknowledgement at the end.
Means that you can hold them easier while eating lunch
@a.g.m.s_1916
3 жыл бұрын
Eww lol
@Thumbsupurbum
3 жыл бұрын
Apparently not, lol. 7:36
I always am fascinated by these horned Gophers and learning more about their biology and history
JACKALOPES WERE REAL? you learn something new every day. Thanks, Eons!
No one: Earth: Rino rodents!!!
@USSAnimeNCC-
3 жыл бұрын
Writer why didn’t I think of that
@Jajalaatmaar
3 жыл бұрын
This meme is still stupid.
Whomever it is that does the editing, they find beautiful art. Excellent work as always!
Yes!! Thank you so much PBS EONS, these fascinating guys have waited to long for their own personal documentary. 🙏🙏
The puns somehow get better when one imagines Blake's face in the background - and I have a feeling Kallie is doing just that. ;)
Rodent , now: not stonks Rodents, then: STONKS
@hiimryan2388
3 жыл бұрын
Tongeria Thompson Rats now: stonks Rats before cities: HELP IM GETTING MAULED BY A CAILSUDKGFGJKCJXCGSHK
@dynamosaurusimperious6341
3 жыл бұрын
Hilarious
Nobody: Eons: These cute ass guinea pig dudes had horns.
@Jajalaatmaar
3 жыл бұрын
This meme is stupid.
@inkynewt
3 жыл бұрын
@@Jajalaatmaar Let us have our fun jfc
@bootyannihilator4931
3 жыл бұрын
Qoi Pond No fun allowed
"Every weasel's got a plan, until they get gopher horned in the face" - Mike Weasel
Always a treat when this channel releases a video
The great plains? :0 Maybe these guys bones inspired the "fearsome critter", the Jackalope.
That thumbnail will haunt my dreams tonight
I'm always so excited to see what you guys will teach us next! Thank you for all your hard work (especially during the pandemic!!) Stay safe!
I really like that card at the end talking about how natives have been mistreated, thank you
The Skaven were right all along. Hail the horned rat.
@Morbacounet
3 жыл бұрын
Yes-yes.
They’re so cute
@Villosa64
3 жыл бұрын
why do u think prehistoric legos are cute
That drawing of the horned goafer looking out of his burrow is bloody terrifying
I have never heard of this animal! I should watch this channel as often as I used to!
They're cute I think prairie dogs are absolutely adorable 😍😍
@lyreparadox
3 жыл бұрын
Even the ones that carry bubonic plague!
Clicked for the PBS Eons, stayed for the dad jokes. 😉
I love the addition of that "frontier" banjo music. Seems fitting when talking about the *realllly* old West.
It's so great to see a land acknowledgement at the end of this video! Kudos to everyone who made that happen.
Could you do prehistoric Japan?Pleaseeeeee
You forgot the German horned squirrel: das Einhörnchen.
@SimonsDiscoveries
3 жыл бұрын
Also known as Das Letzte Einhorn;)
@needfoolthings
3 жыл бұрын
Also, not to forget the laziest of rodents: das Hörnchen (Flaezus croissantis).
Love the content! Can the next video be about the evolution of horns and antlers in ungulates?
@cintronproductions9430
3 жыл бұрын
@Elizabeth Frantes If that's an insult it's an incredibly bizarre one.
This is my favorite pbs channel.
Sitting here with my pet rats, trying to imagine them with horns...
Imagine horned human
@alphanightfury1416
3 жыл бұрын
So demons ?
@inkynewt
3 жыл бұрын
Happens with certain genetic mutations and anomalies actually!
@lahavmorris9919
3 жыл бұрын
In greek mythology they had goat people that had horns
@OliviaLiliana
3 жыл бұрын
DnD 100
@jotaro2690
3 жыл бұрын
@@alphanightfury1416 goat man
hi! great video! i love learning from all your videos keep up the good work!
I love this channel so much I’ve learned so much!
Oh dont worry, it's just the avatar of the great horned rat. The skaven shall be pleased
My spouse, who is a gardener, has the answer to "why horns?" Gophers are the devil.
They’ve got such sweet smiles
Thanks for crediting at the end. I really appreciate that.
beat the notification
GLORY TO THE HORNED RAT
@valentinfejes
3 жыл бұрын
YES-YES, YOU SAID THAT RIGHT-RIGHT!
This was fascinating. It reminds me that I would really like to see something about the evolution history of the jackalope.
your videos are always so interesting! thank you!
That's a Digimon.
Ugly and Cute- two words you don't often hear together in a sentence.
Best narrator on pbs eons
Great music in this episode!
Thank you for acknowledging the desecration of Native American lands
18 seconds ago, huh
I love your videos!! Keep up the great work!!
that little Fellow in the pencil drawing just looks so happy...
Am I the only who's first instinct is to toss a Holy Hand Grenade then run away at the speed of an African Swallow?
@staytuned2L337
3 жыл бұрын
With or without the coconut?
Who else thought of the rabbit from Monty Python when they saw the thumbnail? 😂
@ExtremeMadnessX
3 жыл бұрын
Rabbits from Re: Dive...
I do love the punny content. May it continue for eons!
You guys have the best puns!
Thank you for the message about acknowledging Indigenous people at the end of your videos. I hope this practice remains on your channel ❤
My Theory: There are the descendants of Triceratops 😅
@Paper_Frogg
3 жыл бұрын
Mammals are actually older than dinosaurs- but it would be cool to imagine an evolutionary line like that
@leonnarain8431
3 жыл бұрын
@@Paper_Frogg true. It's crazy how different modern day mammals looks in comparison to the Synapsids.
Great episode! Love eons!
these videos always make me smile