Evolutionary Biology

AI Measured 15,000 Museum Bird Skeletons — And Rewrote How We Picture Evolution’s Pace

Researchers at the University of Michigan utilized artificial intelligence to analyze 15,000 museum bird skeletons, revealing that evolutionary changes in songbirds occurred in rapid bursts, often coinciding with shifts in Earth's climate. This AI-driven approach, which measures skeletons in seconds, provides data-driven insights into evolutionary theory and the impact of environmental variability on species diversification over millions of years.