¿ìè¶ÌÊÓƵ

The not-so-natural history of horse evolution

30 June 2011

New Scientist. Science news and long reads from expert journalists, covering developments in science, technology, health and the environment on the website and the magazine.

Hyracotherium, dawn of horsekind . See more in our gallery here

(Image: Christian Darkin/Science Photo Library)

For millennia, humans have bred them for brawn, speed and even cuteness. ¿ìè¶ÌÊÓƵ traces horses from their origins to the first cloned racehorse. See more in our gallery here.

Topics:

Sign up to our weekly newsletter

Receive a weekly dose of discovery in your inbox. We'll also keep you up to date with ¿ìè¶ÌÊÓƵ events and special offers.

Sign up

More from ¿ìè¶ÌÊÓƵ

Explore the latest news, articles and features

Has the answer to life's origins been hiding in our cells all along?

Life

Has the answer to life's origins been hiding in our cells all along?

Features

Archaeopteryx. Artwork of the prehistoric feathered reptile Archaeopteryx which lived around 150 million years ago. Discovered in 1861 in southern Germany, it was the first feathered fossil specimen ever found. Despite possessing bird-like feathers, wings and a wishbone, Archaeopteryx also had sharp teeth, finger digits and a bony tail similar to non-bird predatory dinosaurs. This species and numerous other feathered fossils support the theory that modern day birds evolved from prehistoric theropod dinosaurs.

Life

¿ìè¶ÌÊÓƵ recommends a brilliant take on the evolution of birds

Culture

Alice Roberts

Humans

Alice Roberts: 'We are fundamentally, at the end of the day, animals'

Culture

The best new popular science books of June 2026

Comment

The best new popular science books of June 2026

Culture

Popular articles

Trending ¿ìè¶ÌÊÓƵ articles

1

A quantum state that lasts forever may finally be within our grasp

2

The secrets to keeping your brain sharp in old age

3

Sperm have been made magnetic to allow IVF inside the body

4

Fully autonomous drones have killed human soldiers for the first time

5

Vaping after quitting smoking is linked to lung cancer

6

Why we should all take quantum physics extremely personally

7

Has the answer to life's origins been hiding in our cells all along?

8

Pigeons lock their eyes in place when they are flying

9

Autism may have two distinct subtypes that vary by brain activity

10

Toy universe shows that time could be a quantum illusion
Piano Exit Overlay Banner Mobile Piano Exit Overlay Banner Desktop