Social mammals evolved faster than solitary ones, new study of ancient skulls says

Research has shown that mammals who require a lot of parental care, such as apes and gorillas evolve slower than those who do not, Mustafa Qadri reports

The last common ancestor of placental mammals was likely to have a shrew-like skull, researchers say (Creative Commons)

Researchers say they have discovered a ‘new model’ for mammalian evolution by analysing the skulls of hundreds of animals.

A new study looks at the remains of more than 300 species, including extinct creatures and living placental mammals to look at their common ancestors.

Among the many findings, the research suggests that social mammals that live in groups evolved faster than solitary ones, and that herbivores evolved faster than carnivores.