So what selective factors lead to an animal getting bigger?

So there are a bunch of reasons that animals get bigger.

One, for example, is cooler climates.

Another is a change in the availability of nutrition.

Um, there can be factors like competition and predation.

So for example, in cooler climates we expect animals to get larger, and that's because as you get larger, the relationship between, uh, your surface area, so that skin that you can lose heat over changes relative to your body mass.

So as you get bigger, you have less surface area to lose heat over.

So what do you think would have to happen for humans to go through our own megafauna phase, for us t- to turn giant?

What other kinds of animals were around this region at that time?

So we know that there were rodents and relatives of rabbits, and there have also been swans found at the site.

Um, and then of course the famous Puijila darwini, which was a transitional seal.

But the interesting thing about the rhino is it's the largest-bodied animal that we've found so far in the Haughton Crater on Devon Island.

And that's unusual because the Miocene is definitely a time when we had lots of larger animals around North America.

So where are they? And I think we need to get back, back up there and discover them.

So what does this rhino tell us about the evolution of the rhino species?

Well, it tells us that rhinos were really adaptable.

So what selective factors lead to an animal getting bigger?

So there are a bunch of reasons that animals get bigger.

One, for example, is cooler climates.

Another is a change in the availability of nutrition.

Um, there can be factors like competition and predation.

So for example, in cooler climates we expect animals to get larger, and that's because as you get larger, the relationship between, uh, your surface area, so that skin that you can lose heat over, changes relative to your body mass.

So as you get bigger, you have less surface area to lose heat over.

So what do you think would have to happen for humans to go through our own megafauna phase, for us to, to turn giant?