How the giraffe got its neck

A newly described species of giraffoid that lived millions of years ago in China suggests how the giraffe might have got its long neck. Discokeryx xiezhi, named after a mythical unicorn-like creature, had a thick headpiece optimised for high-speed, head-bashing fights. Its discovery adds more weight to the theory that giraffes evolved longer necks for sexual competition, with male giraffes engaging in violent neck-swinging fights and longer necks attracting mates.