Inquiry: JOHN A. LONG: The Rise of Fishes: 500 Million Years of Evolution

“To understand the history of fish is to understand our own origins”. In fish evolution we see the origins of bone, the development of the first jaws and teeth, the first strong limbs, the first complex brains, the first lungs, the first ability to breath air and the first example of copulation as a means of reproduction. It is no exaggeration to say the study of fossil fish is an exciting and dynamic field with surprising discoveries being made almost every year. Tonight on Inquiry we welcome JOHN A. LONG, Vice President of Research and Collections at the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County, author of many books including THE RISE OF FISHES: 500 MILLION YEARS OF EVOLUTION.