In search of the common ancestor of all mammals, UC Santa Cruz scientist David Haussler is pulling a complete reversal. Instead of investigating fossil remains, he's comparing the genomes of living mammals and constructing a map of our common ancestors' DNA. His technique holds promise for providing a better picture of how life evolved on Earth.
You may view the "Reverse Evolution Machine" story online, as well as find additional links and resources.
Josh Rosen is Series Producer for QUEST on KQED Television.