Small animals like mice can be as big as elephants after 24 million generations

A mammal just the size of a mouse can become a giant animal like an elephant after about 24 million generations.

A team of 20 biologists and paleontologists has for the first time calculated the rate of evolution in mammals.

According to a report published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences , the team studied fossil samples, historical documents, to collect information about 28 different mammal groups that grow throughout the continents. Earth and ocean terraces for over 70 million years.

The graph shows the rate of improvement or regression in mammals - (Photo: physorg)

The results show that the rate of decline in size takes place at an impressive fast rate compared to the mass growth rate.

Specifically, a small animal like a rat can evolve into an elephant-sized animal in about 24 million generations, but the dwarf process only takes 100,000 generations.

Team leader Alistair Evans said the group's research was unique, since most of the previous studies focused on micro evolution, small changes occurring in a single species. .