Lizard tail preserved in amber sheds light on a 100-million-year-old defense mechanism

The Quick Take

A lizard making a dramatic escape, leaving its tail wriggling behind as it darts to safety, is an image familiar to many. Tail-shedding is one of the most widespread defenses against predators among living lizards, yet tracing the origins of this extraordinary ability has proved to be surprisingly difficult—how can we tell when this escape tactic first arose in lizards?