Ghosts of Evolution

The video explores the evolutionary history of the ginkgo biloba tree and the avocado, highlighting their relationships with extinct animals. It introduces the concept of evolutionary anachronisms, where plants and animals have traits that are no longer selected for due to the extinction of their ecological partners. The video discusses how human agriculture has influenced plant survival, allowing species like the avocado to persist despite their natural dispersers being extinct. It concludes with a call to appreciate the role humans play in preserving these evolutionary oddities.

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