Evolution of new physical traits in mollusks has declined and grown more predictable over time‎

Paleobiologist Geerat Vermeij is enthralled with mollusks. Their shells line the surfaces and fill the cabinets and drawers in his office on the second floor of the Earth and Planetary Sciences Building at UC Davis. But Vermeij's deep study of these organisms isn't just about the animals themselves, it's an avenue for deeper insights about the principles governing evolution and history.