The DNA from eggshell fragments collected across Madagascar has helped scientists better understand the evolution of extinct giant birds. There were at least three species of elephant bird on the island, and the largest of which reached three metres in height and weighed over 500 kilograms. The DNA from the eggshell fragments was able to help scientists better understand the evolution of the different species, as well as the different diets of the different species. The research has been published in the journal Nature Communications.