Meet Dr. Gene Hunt, a paleontologist at the National Museum of Natural History. Have you ever wondered what makes a species likely to go extinct? Some species have a long tenure on Earth, while others go extinct more rapidly. Gene analyzes fossils of tiny ocean animals called ostracodes to tease out what characteristics govern their tenacity on Earth. See how microscopy helps him tell males from females. Marvel at the methods he uses to test the hypothesis that sex differences play a role in whether a species can survive environmental changes. This program originally aired on February 9, 2017, as part of the Smithsonian Science How webcast series. Smithsonian Science How brings natural history science and research to middle-school students nationwide. For standards alignment and free teaching resources, visit: https://qrius.si.edu/teachers/online/science-teaching-resources