Six-Foot Long Millipedes?! And Other Fossil Giants

Six-foot millipedes? The biggest apes ever? And a kangaroo too big to hop? These are just a few of the biggest animals of their kinds to ever exist, and they're not just big, they're WEIRD. So let's talk about why Gigantopithecus went extinct, how we know that there were once squirrels the size of corgis, and how we think humans may have eaten all the world's biggest lemurs into extinction.

Hosted by: @NotesByNiba (she/her)
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Sources:

[nebulan]

Big animals: lions won't attack me
Humans come along: ooohh that's a bigg'n (readies spear)

[katbairwell]

Niba, you are absolutely killing it with these videos!! I know you were already an accomplished science communicator before joining SciShow, but you're really making these videos your own, and I absolutely love them!! <3

[_maxgray]

5:38 "Hot squirrel summer" is not getting the love it deserves

[RavenFilms]

I love this host! There’s something unique to her speech pattern that feels natural but somehow different. Like she’s not speaking to a camera but to a bunch of people right in front of her, like presenting at a museum or something.

[EmilySmirleGURPS]

We had a tree-climbing border-collie when I was a kid. The idea of a proper squirrel that is actually *good* at tree climbing that even approaches that big, egad.

[Zai]

That giant millipede would have been SO COOL to see in the forest. I can imagine all the ferns just falling over in the distance and when it got closer you'd see a shiny, flat and colorful(?) mass of scales kinda floating across the forest floor. I wonder if you could ride it, or if it had like symbiotic relationships with other insects or parasites of a similar extreme size!

[Benson_aka_devils_advocate_]

I just realized what's so familiar about the way she talks; I also use my hands to talk and can put a lot of emotion into the way I move my body, at least relative to the people around me. I'm also very enthusiastic and animated in the way I move when discussing things I'm passionate about!

[Bigandrewm]

Knowing what I know now, giant millipedes shouldn't concern me nearly as much as giant centipedes.

[jamesmoore]

This is one of the coolest uses of VR I look forward to.

[frankheilingbrunner]

Procoptodon goliah is also the victim of a permanent typo. The specific name was obviously intended to be "goliath" but somebody dropped the T and now it can't be put back.

[superkamehameha]

Here before the giant millipedes makes a comeback and block railways (again)

[Clock_Man_]

Those king-sized kangaroos may have been unable to hop, but they sure had the entire bakery in their back

[jakobraahauge]

This host is amazing - what a wonderfully brainy delight! Works like a charm!

[TreyosD]

The first time she said oncorhynchus rastrosus, I heard "Uncle Rinky's rastrosus" and now I want to know more about Uncle Rinky and his giant fish.

[anarchyantz]

Also, as per PBS Eons on the mega fauna that were around in Arnham land down under and drawn by the first people down under, the Giant Kangaroo Procoptodon Goliah also had a massive claw on it's foot and would also attack humans. Apparently the had a lopsided stride and could grapple.

[mindwarp]

Ah, here we see the primordial Sizzlipede line... G-Max Centiskorch says hi from Motostoke Gym. Edit: ah, the early Grookey line as well. 😂

[Tashishi]

I used to have a little colony of African giant millipedes - they were only about 12" long, tho. Still, they were great! Lots of fun to watch, neat to handle, easy to keep, and they were always happy to help with most fruit and veggie scraps. I miss them. I plan on having another colony again one day, but we just have no space for what I'd like to set up. In the meantime, I'll be trying to set up an isopod vivarium. Wish me luck! :)
(and I'd definitely have a 6 foot millie as a pet if I could!)

[lesleyghostdragon]

8:20 "...like a squished granola bar at the bottom of your bag."
Lol I can so relate to that!🤓

[miquelescribanoivars]

Short Faced Kangaroo's and Gigantopithecus did coexist with modern humans, well Giganto may had already been extinct by then but it would had still coexisted with H. erectus and "Denisovans" for sure.

[Bessux]

Why are millipedes so cute while centipedes are so repulsive