Why Mammals Gave Up On Laying Eggs

So… Why don’t we lay eggs? 🥚 Most animals on Earth do: most invertebrates, including most insects, most fish, most amphibians, most reptiles, all birds and even a few mammals lay eggs to reproduce. So what about us? Why did our ancestors ditch the shell and start growing babies inside their bodies instead? In this episode of Big Ideas, from the team behind Deep Look, Niba zooms out to explore one of evolution’s biggest plot twists: how eggs evolved, how they conquered land, and why most mammals — including us — moved on to live birth. 👉 Donate to KQED, the public media station that makes Deep Look: https://donate.kqed.org/deeplook SIGN UP for Deep Look’s newsletter, Nature Unseen: https://bit.ly/NatureUnseenSignUp SUBSCRIBE: https://www.youtube.com/@KQEDDeepLook?sub_confirmation=1 ---+ Find a transcript on KQED Science: www.kqed.org/science/2000271/why-mammals-gave-up-on-laying-eggs ---+ More great Deep Look episodes: Tiger Beetles Bite First, Ask Questions Never https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ojMnlGGWV1o These Lovebugs Have Attachment Issues https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8XJYo3FuvFc Beach Day? These 5 Surprising Creatures Are Hanging Out Too https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lSIZPFQFVoU ---+ Thank you to our top Patreon supporters ($10+ per month)! Alex Butler Bridget Kelly Burt Humburg Carrie Mukaida Christopher Williams Companion Cube Craig Rosa Cristen Rasmussen Daisuke Goto David Deshpande Duane Westhoff El Samuels Elena De La Paz Elizabeth Ann Ditz Hank Poppe J Schumacher Jeremiah Sullivan Jessica Hiraoka Julia Karen Reynolds KayLa KW Laurel Przybylski Laurel Przybylski LAUREL PRZYBYLSKI Levi Cai Lily, Vinny, Izzy Altschuler Louis O'Neill manamonarch Mehdi Noreen Herrington R Roberta K Wright STEPHANIE DOLE The Mighty X Titania Juang Wade Tregaskis Wised1000 wormy boi xkymon ---+ Follow Deep Look and KQED Science on social: TikTok: / deeplookofficial Patreon: / deeplook Instagram: / kqedscience Twitter/X: / kqedscience ---+ About KQED KQED, an NPR and PBS member station in San Francisco, serves Northern California and beyond with a public-supported alternative to commercial TV, radio and web media. Funding for Deep Look is provided in part by PBS Digital Studios and the members of KQED. #insects #wildlife #bugs #4kvideo #deeplook #kqed