Free Virtual Lecture

Javier Ortega-Hernández, Assistant Professor of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology; Curator of Invertebrate Paleontology, Museum of Comparative Zoology, Harvard University

Earth is home to a vast diversity of organisms that collectively define the modern biosphere. How did this diversity come to be? Javier Ortega-Hernández will discuss his approach to answering this question by studying organisms that lived more than half a billion years ago in the Cambrian Period (541–485 million years ago). By focusing on the earliest-known animals—some of the most versatile to ever exist—Ortega-Hernández aims to reconstruct the early evolutionary history of major animal groups and contribute to our understanding of Earth’s biodiversity.

Evolution Matters Lecture Series

Series supported by a generous gift from Drs. Herman and Joan Suit

To join the program, you will need to download the free Zoom app in advance. If you already have Zoom, you do not need to download it again. For details on how to improve your Zoom experience, visit the How to Attend an HMSC Program webpage.