密歇根大学研究人员利用人工智能技术分析了2000多个鸣禽物种的170,000个骨骼测量数据，发现鸣禽的进化过程并非均匀进行，而是由快速演变阶段与缓慢发展期交替组成[1]。研究团队开发的AI工具Skelevision能够精确测量鸟类骨骼中的12根骨头，通过扫描超过15,000个博物馆标本完成数据采集，每个标本的处理耗时约45秒[1]。
分析涵盖了约4500万年的进化历史，揭示出多个关键的进化加速期与地球气候变化紧密关联[1]。其中最快速的身体形态演变发生在约3500万年前，与始新世-渐新世过渡期间的全球剧烈冷却相吻合；另一个进化减速聚集发生在1500万年前，与另一重大地质事件相对应[1]。研究还发现，高纬度地区的物种进化速度明显快于赤道附近的物种[1]。这些发现表明环境的剧烈变化能够对生命进化产生深远影响。该研究成果已发表于《Nature Ecology & Evolution》期刊[1]。
Researchers at the University of Michigan have used artificial intelligence to uncover a striking pattern in songbird evolution: rather than evolving at a constant pace, these species experienced multiple rapid bursts of change interspersed with periods of slower development [1]. The team analyzed skeletal measurements from over 2,000 songbird species, processing approximately 170,000 bone measurements extracted from more than 15,000 museum specimens [1]. Using an AI tool called Skelevision capable of accurately measuring 12 key bones in bird skeletons—with each specimen requiring about 45 seconds to scan—the researchers traced evolutionary patterns across roughly 45 million years of history [1].
The analysis revealed that the fastest morphological changes occurred around 35 million years ago, coinciding with the Eocene-Oligocene transition, a period of severe global cooling [1]. A second major cluster of evolutionary change was identified at approximately 15 million years ago, aligned with another significant geological event [1]. The research also found that species at higher latitudes evolved faster than those near the equator [1]. These findings demonstrate that major climatic upheavals have profoundly shaped the trajectory of avian evolution, with environmental change acting as a primary driver of biological innovation. The study, conducted by scientists including Jake Berv, Brian Weeks, and David Fouhey, was published in Nature Ecology & Evolution in 2026 [1].