The popular website PhD Comics has animated the thesis of Z. Jack Tseng, Ph.D., a Frick Postdoctoral Fellow in the Museum's Division of Paleontology. His thesis explores the evolution and bite of some "of the most awesome animals on Earth: hyenas." Watch the video.

Fifty-five million years ago, a group of hoofed mammals began a slow move from shore to sea, in time evolving a set of extraordinary features to thrive in their new environment. Today’s whales share many anatomical traits with other mammals, but the unique adaptations of species such as sperm whales illustrate how organisms can transform over time as they carve out their place on the planet.

Museum postdoctoral researcher Mary Blair recently traveled to Vietnam to search for nocturnal primates called slow lorises. Blair is currently writing about the experience on The New York Times’ Scientist at Work: Notes from the Field blog.

This week, a 16-part series of Museum videos documenting the comprehensive restoration and conservation process in the Bernard Family Hall of North American Mammals was recognized as an Official Honoree for the 2013 Webby Awards. 

It's down to just a final, furry 4 potential nicknames for our hypothetical placental ancestor! Vote for the two finalists now.