How the turtle got its shell 10.22.08
As far back as the 1800s, paleontologists put forth theories explaining how this bizarre reptile developed armor. One such scientist, George Cuvier, posited that the shell had developed from the ribs, flattening and fusing over time. Eventually, this became the dominant theory. But many modern paleontologists came to believe that the shell, which is now tightly fused with the ribs, was actually separate from the ribs and developed from hardened skin. “It was an ongoing debate — as old as science is,” Joyce said.
