The extreme teeth of saber-toothed predators were 'optimal' for biting into prey, study reveals

Saber-toothed predators—best known from the infamous Smilodon—evolved multiple times across different mammal groups. A study titled "Functional optimality underpins the repeated evolution of the extreme 'saber-tooth' morphology" published in Current Biology reveals why: these teeth were 'functionally optimal' and highly effective at puncturing prey.