Out of the Shadows

Not all early mammals were shy and retiring

Only a few years ago, it was easy to pity the mammals that lived during the Age of Dinosaurs. Most paleontologists presumed that those tiny, shrewlike creatures, ecologically marginalized by their reptilian oppressors, thrived only by remaining out of sight. Perhaps relegated to a nocturnal lifestyle, these creatures scurried about furtively and ate insects, worms, and other invertebrates.